"YES" on the Blunt Amendment
"YES" on the Blunt Amendment
Today, the Senate is expected to vote on the Blunt Amendment to MAP-21 (S. 1813). The amendment, known as the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, would ensure that health care stakeholders retain the right to provide, purchase, or enroll in health coverage that is consistent with their religious beliefs and moral convictions, without fear of being penalized or discriminated against under federal law.
The amendment comes in response to the Obama administration's recent anti-conscience mandate, which would compel many religious institutions' group health insurance for employees to cover abortion-inducing drugs, contraceptives, and sterilization, even if doing so contradicted to their religious beliefs. Such a mandate would infringe on the rights of conscience.
Religious liberty does not arise from the consent or discretion of a benevolent federal government; rather, freedom of religion is an unalienable right enshrined in our Constitution's First Amendment. This anti-conscience mandate is a direct attack on that constitutionally-guaranteed right and purposefully undermines the ability of these religious institutions to freely exercise religion.
The anti-conscience mandate serves as a stark reminder of the role of government in our lives and the sweeping power it can wield over the American people. Indeed, left unchecked the government has shown a startling propensity to run roughshod over our inalienable rights.
Heritage Action supports the Blunt Amendment and will include it as a key vote on our scorecard.
*** Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced his intention to "table"—that is, kill—the Blunt Amendment. Senators who support the Blunt Amendment should oppose the motion to table. ***
Related:
Heritage Action's Scorecard
Heritage: Blunt the Attacks on Religious Liberty
Heritage: Senate to Vote Thursday on Conscience Protection Amendment
Heritage: Religious Liberty Under Attack
Heritage: Anti-Conscience Mandate: An Assault on the Constitution
"YES" on the Blunt Amendment