Landrieu Votes to Begin Debate on Bill That Attempts to Strike Balance Between Religious Freedom, Women's Health

Statement

U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., released the following statement today after voting to begin debate to find a solution that strikes the right balance to respect religious freedom and the rights of women to have access to preventative health care.

"Today, I joined 55 other senators from both parties and voted to open debate on a bill that attempts to strike the right balance between religious freedom and the rights of women who deserve access to affordable and necessary preventive care. The bill would make permanent the accommodation I supported to exempt churches, house of worship and religiously affiliated institutions like Catholic hospitals and colleges from offering health services contradictory to their beliefs. And it allows the millions of women who work at for-profit businesses to keep health care decisions where they should be: between them and their doctor," Sen. Landrieu said. "Had the Senate successfully moved forward to debate this bill, I would have offered an amendment to make it less burdensome for religiously affiliated institutions to claim this important religious protection and made it automatic."

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