New Contraception Rule Highlights the Need for Congressional Fix to Hobby Lobby

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WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Health and Human Services unveiled its final rule ensuring a woman’s right to access contraception, regardless of her employers’ religious beliefs in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Hobby Lobby. Following the publishing of this rule, Rabbi Jack Moline, executive director of Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement:

“I am encouraged by the Obama administration’s continued work to protect the rights of women to make their own personal healthcare decisions, regardless of the religious beliefs of their employers. The constraints put in place by the Supreme Court in last year’s Hobby Lobby decision make this effort necessary. However, I believe that a more narrow definition of “closely held corporation” would have made for a better rule. Too much weight is given to the fanciful notion that a for-profit corporation is able to have a religious identity. The rights of too many women are dependent on the willingness of their employer to fill out a form.

“Once again we are reminded of the urgent need for Congress to pass legislation to rectify the dire mistake the Supreme Court made in Hobby Lobby. The religious beliefs of some should never dictate the rights of others, and the rights of bosses should never supplant the rights of their employees. Religious freedom is not defined by who holds the purse strings. I urge Congress to set us back on the correct Constitutional course.”


Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.