The American Center for Law and Justice is representing 79 members of Congress in twelve separate lawsuits brought by more than forty Catholic organizations that are suing the Obama administration over the Obamacare mandate that employers provide contraceptive services, including abortifacients, to to their employees under their health care programs. The reason for the lawsuit is that this applies even to those employers whose religious faith forbids them in participating in the murder of unborn infants.
Edward White, senior counsel for activist legal team, said, “It is essential to defeat the HHS mandate. The mandate devastates the religious freedom of all employers seeking to comply with their religious beliefs.”
He continued, “This is not just an issue negatively impacting Catholics. This is an issue negatively impacting employers of all faiths.”
take our poll - story continues belowCompleting this poll grants you access to Freedom Outpost updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.In the briefs submitted in the cases backing the Catholic organizations, the ACLJ opposes the federal government’s motions to dismiss the 12 lawsuits. The briefs were submitted with requests that the courts accept them for filing.
The briefs demonstrate how the mandate runs against the First Amendment and the American tradition of the practice of religious conscience of the citizens of the United States.
The Alliance Defending Freedom’s (ADF) Senior Counsel Gregory S. Baylor said,
“Christian colleges should remain free to operate according to their deeply held beliefs. Punishing religious people and organizations for freely exercising their faith is an assault on our most fundamental American freedoms. This mandate leaves religious employers with no real choice: you must either comply and abandon your religious freedom and conscience, or resist and be taxed for your faith. Every American should know that a government with the power to do this to anyone can do this – and worse – to everyone.”
ADF has been in this battle from the beginning, having filed three other lawsuits against the mandate on the behalf of Geneva College and The Seneca Hardwood Lumber Company in Pennsylvania, Louisiana College in Louisiana, and Hercules Industries in Colorado.
The Congress members who have joined in the filings by the ACLJ are as follows:
Don't forget to Like Freedom Outpost on Facebook and Twitter, and follow our friends at RepublicanLegion.com.Jeff Landry, La. Robert Aderholt, Ala. Todd Akin, Mo. Mark Amodei, Nev. Michele Bachmann, Minn. Spencer Bachus, Ala. Lou Barletta, Pa. Roscoe Bartlett, Md. Dan Benishek, Mich. Gus Bilirakis, Fla. Diane Black, Tenn. Marsha Blackburn, Tenn. Charles Boustany, La. Kevin Brady, Texas Paul Broun, Ga. Dan Burton, Ind. Francisco “Quico” Canseco, Texas Bill Cassidy, La. Steve Chabot, Ohio Michael Conaway, Texas Chip Cravaack, Minn. Jeff Duncan, S.C. Renee Ellmers, N.C. Stephen Fincher, Tenn. John Fleming, La. Bill Flores, Texas J. Randy Forbes, Va. Jeff Fortenberry, Neb. Virginia Foxx, N.C. Bob Goodlatte, Va. Gregg Harper, Miss. Andy Harris, Md. Vicky Hartzler, Mo. Wally Herger, Calif. Tim Huelskamp, Kan. Bill Huizenga, Mich. Bill Johnson, Ohio Walter Jones, N.C. Jim Jordan, Ohio Mike Kelly, Pa. Steve King, Iowa John Kline, Minn. Raul Labrador, Idaho Doug Lamborn, Colo. James Lankford, Okla. Bob Latta, Ohio Dan Lipinski, Ill. Blaine Luetkemeyer, Mo. Dan Lungren, Calif. Don Manzullo, Ill. Jeff Miller, Fla. Mick Mulvaney, S.C. Tim Murphy, Pa. Randy Neugebauer, Texas Alan Nunnelee, Miss. Pete Olson, Texas Steven Palazzo, Miss. Ron Paul, Texas Steve Pearce, N.M. Joe Pitts, Pa. Ted Poe, Texas Mike Pompei, Kan. Ben Quayle, Ariz. Reid Ribble, Wis. Phil Roe, Tenn. Todd Rokita, Ind. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Fla. Dennis Ross, Fla. Steve Scalise, La. Bobby Schilling, Ill. Jean Schmidt, Ohio David Schweikert, Ariz. Adrian Smith, Neb. Chris Smith, N.J. Lamar Smith, Texas Glenn Thompson, Pa. Tim Walberg, Mich. Lynn Westmoreland, Ga. Joe Wilson, S.C.
Become an insider!
Sign up for the free Freedom Outpost email newsletter, and we'll make sure to keep you in the loop.