Washington D.C., Feb 18, 2012 / 06:01 am
Facing Belmont Abbey College’s legal challenge to the HHS contraception mandate, the Obama administration has asked a U.S. district court to dismiss the case. The move drew criticism from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which charged that the administration made no attempt to defend the constitutionality of the rule.
“Apparently, the administration has decided that the mandate, as written and finalized, is constitutionally indefensible,” contended Hannah Smith, senior council at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing the Catholic college.
“Its only hope is to ask the court to look the other way based on an empty promise to possibly change the rules in the future.”
Department of Justice lawyers said the accommodation, announced Feb. 10, “will require health insurance issuers to offer group health insurance coverage without contraceptive coverage to non-profit religious organizations that object to contraceptive coverage and simultaneously to offer contraceptive coverage directly to such organization’s plan participants who desire it, at no charge.”