WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear cases from several religious non-profits challenging the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate, despite the accommodation afforded them by the Administration. Interfaith Alliance has a long history of defending the contraception mandate from faulty claims of religious freedom. Following this news, Rabbi Jack Moline, executive director of Interfaith Alliance called on the Supreme Court to uphold the contraception mandate.
“Today, what began as a quixotic campaign against a simple requirement to fill out a form has made its way to the highest court in the land – where I sincerely hope it will be finished at last. Religious freedom is the our most fundamental right, worthy of the highest respect and the strictest protection, but this case isn’t really about religious freedom. People of faith have the right to seek an exemption from a law that contravenes their personal religious beliefs – they don’t have the right to force others to follow them. They don’t have the right to put the freedom of others in jeopardy and they must not be a roadblock to their employees making these decisions for themselves.
“The Administration worked in consultation for years with religious, healthcare and women’s rights organizations to create an accommodation for religious organizations to the contraception mandate. This accommodation was not perfect, but it was sufficient to ensure the religious freedom of these organizations while protecting access to contraception for all women. The refusal to cooperate with this accommodation demonstrates not a commitment to religious freedom, but rather an insistence on restricting the personal freedom of employees, manipulating the Constitution and undermining access to healthcare.
“The last time the Supreme Court heard a challenge to the contraception mandate, in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, they dramatically rewrote the rules on religious freedom. The fallout of that disaster has been felt in courts and state legislatures across the country, and religious freedom has suffered. It is my deepest hope that Supreme Court corrects its mistake, resolves this question and maintains the integrity of both the Affordable Care Act and the First Amendment.”
Interfaith Alliance celebrates religious freedom by championing individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism. Founded in 1994, Interfaith Alliance brings together members from 75 faith traditions as well as those without a faith tradition to protect faith and freedom. For more information visit www.interfaithalliance.org.