Catholic Groups Oppose Contraception Rule

(NewsCore) - The battle over the Obama administration's contraceptive coverage rule continued even after an amendment to the policy was announced Friday, as the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and other groups voiced serious concern about a law they claim still intrudes on religious freedom.

The Obama administration unveiled last month the original policy change obligating employers to offer free birth control under their health plans beginning Aug. 1. The rule exempted churches and houses of worship but required religious-affiliated institutions like universities and hospitals to cover contraceptives, which prompted fierce pushback from some religious organizations and conservatives.

In an attempt to quell the debate, President Barack Obama on Friday announced a change to the new rule that would allow religious organizations to refuse that coverage, while insurers would nevertheless be required to offer it to any employee who wants it.

The adjustment was initially met with a reserved response, but the Conference of Catholic Bishops, after earlier calling the change a "first step in the right direction," issued a lengthy statement overnight blasting the plan. And they joined others in calling for legislation in Congress to reverse the policy, something Republicans said they were not abandoning despite Friday's announcement.

"We think there needs to be a legislative fix to protect our religious liberties," Bishop William Lori, a member of the Conference, told FOX News Channel Saturday. "I think that our First Amendment religious rights are far too precious to be entrusted to regulatory rules."

Lori and the rest of the Conference said they want to see the "mandate" rescinded altogether. They said that among several lingering concerns is the fact that the change appears to make no consideration for religious insurers or self-insuring religious employers -- or for religious for-profit employers and secular nonprofit employers.

The statement from the Conference, more broadly, expressed worry that the requirement would still facilitate contraceptive coverage even if an employer objects to it.

"And in the case where the employee and insurer agree to add the objectionable coverage, that coverage is still provided as a part of the objecting employer's plan, financed in the same way as the rest of the coverage offered by the objecting employer. This, too, raises serious moral concerns," the statement said.

A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the religious community is "not yet convinced" the revised rule is not an "attack on religious freedom," and said the House would continue to work toward a "legislative solution."

Obama, meanwhile, said the issue should not be treated as a "political wedge" and maintained his position that women should have access to contraception without a co-pay, regardless of their employer's beliefs.

"Under the rule, women will still have access to free preventive care that includes contraceptive services, no matter where they work -- that core principle remains," Obama said. But he added, "Religious organizations won't have to pay for these services, and no religious institution will have to provide these services directly."

The administration circulated statements of support Friday from both Planned Parenthood and the Catholic Health Association of the United States.

Former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, a Democrat who had been critical of the original plan, also praised the change.

"There are some who have wrongly used this debate to pit women's rights against freedom of religion. The steps taken by the White House show that there is a way to respect both," Kaine said in a statement. "The significant increase in access to contraception under the Affordable Care Act is an important step forward. I believe that access to contraception and health care is critical to reducing unintended pregnancies and abortions."

Read more: FOX News