Rep. Michaud Co-Sponsoring Legislation to Reverse Hobby Lobby Decision

Statement

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud is co-sponsoring legislation that would ensure for-profit corporations provide female employees with access to healthcare items and services as required under federal law. The bill, the Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act, would essentially reverse the Supreme Court's recent decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., which held that certain for-profit corporations could deny its employees coverage of contraception if it conflicted with the employer's religious beliefs.

"I firmly believe that women should have access to basic healthcare services, and the Hobby Lobby ruling sets a dangerous precedent," said Michaud. "This legislation prohibits for-profit corporations from denying women specific healthcare items or services otherwise required under federal law, and it's an important way to neutralize the damage done by the Hobby Lobby ruling.

"I believe Olympia Snowe put it best a few years back, when she called the debate over contraceptive coverage something "straight out of the I Love Lucy era.' Providing basic healthcare to female employees should not be something that's just optional."

Former Senator Olympia Snowe made her comments in 2012 at a Women's Campaign Fund dinner, saying of the debate over contraceptive coverage: "You know, it really is surprising, because I feel like it's a retro debate. It took place in the 1950′s. It's short of "Back to the Future', isn't it? And it's surprising in the 21st Century that we would be revisiting this issue."

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