One day before oral arguments in two landmark cases, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) called on the Supreme Court to reverse the mandate under Obamacare that for-profit employer health insurance plans cover contraceptives for female employees without co-pays.
He said in a statement:
“In the United States of America, no citizen should be compelled to violate their convictions, let alone be punished for refusing to do so. Furthermore, the government should not impose an arbitrary religious litmus test to determine who is and isn’t able to fully participate in American life. The choice these men and women face – between paying fines that could cripple their businesses and dropping employee insurance altogether – imperils the jobs, livelihoods, and health care of millions of Americans. The government has placed a terrible burden on charities, universities, hospitals, and family-owned businesses – one our founders promised they and we would never have to bear.
“Indeed, the question before the Court this week is not just about two businesses and one severely misguided law. This case concerns every American who cherishes that first line in the Bill of Rights where it states our government will never come between us and our faith. Religious freedom is not for some people under some circumstances; it is for one and all. In that spirit, I join with those who are standing up for what’s right and what’s sacred. I hope that, after due consideration, the Court will reverse this attack on religious liberty and reaffirm our founding principles.”
The cases are Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius and Conestoga Wood v. Sebelius.