Coats Calls on President to Rescind "Radical, Unconstitutional" Contraceptive Mandate

Statement

Senator Dan Coats (R-Ind.) today called on President Obama to rescind his administration's ruling under the health care law requiring church-affiliated organizations, charities, hospitals and educational institutions to provide and pay for insurance coverage that includes contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs despite moral objections.

In a speech today on the Senate floor, Coats said, "I call on President Obama to overturn his radical and unconstitutional mandate that is a fundamental breach of First Amendment rights and religious liberty."

"This issue is not a debate over whether the use of contraceptives is right or wrong. This is not a debate over whether the health care law is the right policy or the wrong policy -- although I firmly believe it is the wrong policy for our country.

"This is a debate over whether Congress is going to sit idly by and watch the administration walk all over the freedom of religion, a core American principle or stand up and protect what our Founding Fathers put their lives on the line for and what millions of Americans defend each day."

Coats is a co-sponsor of the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, legislation that will protect health care providers and insurers, including purchasers such as small businesses, from being forced to violate their ethical principles to cover or fund products and services under the health care law. Coats is also a co-sponsor of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, legislation that will protect the freedom of conscience by repealing this unconstitutional Obamacare mandate altogether. These bills make it clear that the government should not be able to force religious organizations to abandon the fundamental tenets of their faith because the government says so.

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