Doyle Supports AG Shapiro in Trump v. Pennsylvania Oral Arguments
Press Release
U.S. Representatives Mike Doyle (PA-18) voiced his support for Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro ahead of today's Supreme Court oral arguments in Trump v. Pennsylvania. AG Shapiro is fighting to protect the Affordable Care Act's requirement that health insurance policies cover contraception.
"I will not stand by as the Trump Administration attacks reproductive freedom and opens the door to sex discrimination," Congressman Doyle said. "I believe women should have access to the full range of reproductive health care services -- and I'm opposed to any efforts to roll back access to birth control. Allowing employers to opt out of covering birth control would lead inevitably to discrimination. The Trump Administration's overreach would harm women and families across the country."
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act included a contraceptive mandate which has made birth control available and affordable to women across the country - 55 million women have access to birth control without co-payments as a result. Before the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, contraceptives represented 30-44% of women's out-of-pocket health care spending.
In 2017, the Trump Administration's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued two rules rolling back the requirement that employers cover contraception in its health insurance plans. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act set forth an exemption for religious institutions in which they were still required to provide coverage but could refuse to be directly involved in administering the coverage for their employees. The Trump Administration's rules would expand this religious moral exemption to other employers.
Pennsylvania was among seventeen states and the District of Columbia in challenging the Trump Administration's rules.
Oral arguments will be held on May 6, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Due to social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court will hold oral arguments by teleconference, and they will be broadcast by news outlets.
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