Washington D.C., Jan 3, 2014 / 17:57 pm
Despite the claims of the U.S. Justice Department, the demands of the federal contraception mandate threaten the continued works of service performed by the Little Sisters of the Poor, their attorneys say.
Eric Rassbach, deputy general counsel with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing the religious sisters in court, charged that the government's claim amounts to "doublespeak" and "trivializes" the situation of the sisters.
For 175 years, the Little Sisters of the Poor have provided physical, spiritual and emotional care for the low-income elderly and dying in communities throughout the U.S.
Now, however, they are facing crippling fines due to the federal contraception mandate, which requires employers to offer health insurance plans including free contraception, sterilization, and some early abortion drugs for employees. Failing to comply results in fines of up to $100 per employee per day.