Rep. Manzullo Joins Colleagues in Pursuing Legislation to Protect Rights of Conscience
Press Release
Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) joined his colleagues at a Capitol Hill news conference today to highlight legislation he co-sponsored to repeal an unconstitutional Obamacare mandate that would violate the conscience rights of religious institutions.
The Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179) would amend Obamacare to preserve conscience rights for religious institutions, health care providers, and small employers who pay for health care coverage. The legislation is endorsed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, National Right to Life Committee, Americans United for Life, and other organization.
"This most recent Obamacare mandate is deeply troubling and patently unconstitutional," Manzullo said. "Over the past several weeks, we've all heard the contradictory rhetoric from this administration and the so-called "compromise' that was offered. The compromise is a thinly-veiled version of the discredited original policy, dressed up to look like something else. At the end of the day, it remains a serious violation of religious freedom. No one should ever be forced by the government to carry out policies that violate their conscience rights."
Bishop Thomas Doran of the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, was alarmed by the attack on religious liberty and shared his thoughts on the mandate with his parishioners on Jan. 28, 2012:
"We cannot--we will not--comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second class citizens. We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom. Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America's cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, its enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of their God given rights. In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties. I hope and trust she can count on this generation of Catholics to do the same. Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less."
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