Pittsburgh Diocese Suing Obama Admin over Abortion Mandate

Oct 9, 2013 | 0 comments

From Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh mounted a new legal challenge to the federal health care mandate, arguing that the Obama administration’s promise to accommodate objections from faith-based employers turned out to be “empty words.”

The mandate in the Affordable Care Act effectively says, “Religious freedom is only a freedom to worship, it’s not a freedom to act on your beliefs,” said Robert P. Lockwood, director of communications for the diocese.

Bishop David Zubik, the diocese and its Catholic Charities filed a federal lawsuit asking U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab to immediately block the government from enforcing the mandate, which goes into effect on Jan. 1. They also ask to be permanently exempted from it.

The Diocese joins 73 other organizations and businesses suing the Obama Administration over the HHS Mandate (part of Obamacare) that forces employers to provide abortion-inducing drugs to their employees through their health coverage plan.

Our Independence Law Center is representing Conestoga Wood Specialties and the Hahn family, from Lancaster, and have currently filed a Petition with the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their religious liberty appeal. Click here to learn more.