Supreme Court Ruling in Favor of Religious Freedom From Obamacare is Victory for Some Business Owners

Statement

Congressman Steve Pearce released this statement in response to today's U.S. Supreme Court decision that will allow some private business owners to reject a provision in President Obama's healthcare law that requires them to provide birth control to their employees.

"Today's landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is a major victory for family-owned businesses," said Congressman Steve Pearce. "The Supreme Court has ruled that some American business owners do not have to give up their religious beliefs to the federal government, simply because President Obama has forced his healthcare system on the country. No individual should ever forfeit their freedoms, especially when they decide to contribute to the American economy and provide fair wages and benefits to their fellow Americans."

"The opinion to recognize religious liberty under the First Amendment, however, was not shared by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Stephen G. Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayer, who ruled against the exemption," continued Pearce. "The decision was narrow and did not include all corporations. The exemption is only for closely-held American for-profit corporations, controlled by religious families. This does not include all corporations operating in the U.S. Many religious non-profits, including several affiliated with the Catholic Church, are still fighting 51 similar lawsuits against the Obama administration."

NOTE: In today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling, companies can object along religious grounds to the birth control mandate of the Affordable Care Act. Cases involved are Burwell V. Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties V. Burwell.

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