Posted on 10/12/2012 10:11:44 AM PDT by frogjerk
USCCB Responds To Inaccurate Statement Of Fact On HHS Mandate Made During Vice Presidential Debate
October 12, 2012
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued the following statement, October 12. Full text follows:
Last night, the following statement was made during the Vice Presidential debate regarding the decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to force virtually all employers to include sterilization and contraception, including drugs that may cause abortion, in the health insurance coverage they provide their employees:
"With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear. No religious institution—Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital—none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact."
This is not a fact. The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain "religious employers." That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to "Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital," or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.
HHS has proposed an additional "accommodation" for religious organizations like these, which HHS itself describes as "non-exempt." That proposal does not even potentially relieve these organizations from the obligation "to pay for contraception" and "to be a vehicle to get contraception." They will have to serve as a vehicle, because they will still be forced to provide their employees with health coverage, and that coverage will still have to include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients. They will have to pay for these things, because the premiums that the organizations (and their employees) are required to pay will still be applied, along with other funds, to cover the cost of these drugs and surgeries.
USCCB continues to urge HHS, in the strongest possible terms, actually to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom imposed by the mandate.
For more details, please see USCCB's regulatory comments filed on May 15 regarding the proposed "accommodation": www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/rulemaking/upload/comments-on-advance-notice-of-proposed-rulemaking-on-preventive-services-12-05-15.pdf
I suppose if he was a good Catholic and saw slavery, he might personally be opposed to it, but would make no law ending slavery so as not to impose his personal views upon others.
Yes he is. Glad to see the Catholic Church willing to go on record about it
The left does nothing but this by the force of government.
They impose their views on what kind of lightbulb we can use to light our house with for pete's sake!
I’m glad the bishops are calling him out on this. Biden gets away with too many glib falsehoods, i.e., lies.
If I were a Catholic who was unfamiliar with the discussion in the debate I might not know which debater made that statement.
The USCCB mentioned neither Biden nor his party.
Gutless and ineffective.
Biden is fine, “Imposing his views” regarding vote buying social programs, but he is unwilling to actually defend HUMAN LIFE IN THE WOMB!
And Ryan countered, “If that’s true then why are the Bishops suing you?”.. That was great!
Biden liar liar pants on fire
And then moderator cut her off. I wish Ryan would have told her to "hold on, you bring up abortion and religious liberty, which are very contentious issues, and you are going to limit it to 5 minutes?" And made Biden answer why the Catholic Church was suing them along with many other "organizations"
Let’s just call it a blatant lie, USCCB. We practicing Catholics are really tired of the PC culture in the Church.
Every Catholic should at least understand this correctly, no matter what they think about the policy:
Biden, a self-professed Catholic, lied (or were words just put in an ignorant mouth) about his administrations policies that adversely affect the religious Liberty of Catholic institutions.
Big F***ing LIAR!! The priests and the Bishops need to tell their flocks about this big fat lie!
I just can’t believe Biden would lie. (/s)
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