U.S. Representative Candice Miller (MI-10) today made the following statement in support of the Religious Freedom Tax Repeal Act (H.R.6097) which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives this week. H.R.6097 will prohibit the Obama Administration from taxing religious institutions and employers for choosing to adhere to their religious beliefs rather than be subjected to the new Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate created by Obamacare that violates their conscience rights.
"I am proud to support this legislation which will prohibit the penalty of federal fines being placed on institutions and employers for not adhering to the new mandate because of religious or moral objections. This mandate is a far overreaching and an egregious assault on the religious liberty we so value and which is protected within the First Amendment of the Constitution," Miller said. "This is a fundamental right that cannot, and should not, be compromised."
Note: The controversial HHS mandate that requires employers to provide drugs and services in their employee health care plans regardless of religious objections to those services. Employers that fail to comply face staggering financial penalties. According to a February 2012 Congressional Research Report, insurers and employers that do not comply with the HHS mandate could face a federal tax of $100 per day per employee, or $3,650 a year per employee. Elementary schools with 50 employees could face fines of more than $175,000 per year. Religious employers with hundreds of employees could be fined millions of dollars annually. Facing this huge tax would make it impossible for parochial schools, hospitals, soup kitchens and other religious-affiliated institutions to keep their doors open.