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NH political and Catholic leaders issue resolution on contraception mandate
CONCORD -- State political and Catholic leaders have dived into the fray over the controversial contraception policy that is part of President Obama's health care law, issuing a resolution Monday calling for rescinding the rule.
The policy requires employers, regardless of their religious affiliation, to cover contraception as part of health plans for employees. In response to a strong negative reaction from Catholic and other religious groups, the policy was changed to apply only to insurers, not the institutions.
This did little to ease the concerns of House Speaker William O'Brien, R-Mont Vernon.
“We're not here to talk about the relative merits of contraception or sterilization,” O'Brien said, flanked by New Hampshire Catholic Bishop Peter Libasci, Congressman Charlie Bass and a liaison for Congressman Frank Guinta at a State House news conference.
“We're here to discuss the unconstitutional law know as Obamacare,” O'Brien continued, using the term adopted by critics of the health care law. “In this particular case, the church, with its long-held beliefs on contraception, will now have its affiliated organizations forced to purchase health insurance policies that cover contraception and chemical abortion.”
House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt, R-Salem, has proposed a resolution calling on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to rescind the rule as unconstitutional. It's set to get a hearing Thursday.
The House leaders also said that they planned to craft a bill that would change state law, which already makes the same contraception coverage requirement for insurers, regardless of whether they are contracted by religious organizations, as the federal rule does.
“We weren't aware this law was on the books,” O'Brien said.
The law, enacted in 2000, was passed by the Legislature with bipartisan support.
In addition, lawmakers are also considering a bill, HB 309, that would form a commission to review all of the “essential benefits” required under “Obamacare.”
Meanwhile, state Democratic leaders used the occasion of the news conference to defend Obama's health care law and the contraception provision.
State Sen. Lou D'Allesandro, D-Manchester, said Republicans were playing politics with the issue.
“In many ways New Hampshire leads the nation in requiring contraception. Women's health care is a vital issue for the women of this state,” he said.
D'Allesandro was part of a local “truth team,” a new effort that is part of Obama's reelection campaign, who participated in a conference call ahead of the Republicans' news conference.
Another participant, Rep. Candace Bouchard, D-Concord, said, “As a Catholic, I can't believe what I'm hearing. This is a common-sense policy,” she said. “No Catholic organization would be forced to write a prescription for contraception, and no part of this rule applies to drugs that cause abortion.”
However, Bishop Libasci maintained that any mandate on contraceptive coverage would violate Catholics' core religious beliefs.
“I humbly ask that in this land of the free, we be allowed to be free,” Libasci said. “As people of faith, that we be allowed to follow the tenets that we have had for so many generations.”
The policy requires employers, regardless of their religious affiliation, to cover contraception as part of health plans for employees. In response to a strong negative reaction from Catholic and other religious groups, the policy was changed to apply only to insurers, not the institutions.
This did little to ease the concerns of House Speaker William O'Brien, R-Mont Vernon.
“We're not here to talk about the relative merits of contraception or sterilization,” O'Brien said, flanked by New Hampshire Catholic Bishop Peter Libasci, Congressman Charlie Bass and a liaison for Congressman Frank Guinta at a State House news conference.
“We're here to discuss the unconstitutional law know as Obamacare,” O'Brien continued, using the term adopted by critics of the health care law. “In this particular case, the church, with its long-held beliefs on contraception, will now have its affiliated organizations forced to purchase health insurance policies that cover contraception and chemical abortion.”
House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt, R-Salem, has proposed a resolution calling on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to rescind the rule as unconstitutional. It's set to get a hearing Thursday.
The House leaders also said that they planned to craft a bill that would change state law, which already makes the same contraception coverage requirement for insurers, regardless of whether they are contracted by religious organizations, as the federal rule does.
“We weren't aware this law was on the books,” O'Brien said.
The law, enacted in 2000, was passed by the Legislature with bipartisan support.
In addition, lawmakers are also considering a bill, HB 309, that would form a commission to review all of the “essential benefits” required under “Obamacare.”
Meanwhile, state Democratic leaders used the occasion of the news conference to defend Obama's health care law and the contraception provision.
State Sen. Lou D'Allesandro, D-Manchester, said Republicans were playing politics with the issue.
“In many ways New Hampshire leads the nation in requiring contraception. Women's health care is a vital issue for the women of this state,” he said.
D'Allesandro was part of a local “truth team,” a new effort that is part of Obama's reelection campaign, who participated in a conference call ahead of the Republicans' news conference.
Another participant, Rep. Candace Bouchard, D-Concord, said, “As a Catholic, I can't believe what I'm hearing. This is a common-sense policy,” she said. “No Catholic organization would be forced to write a prescription for contraception, and no part of this rule applies to drugs that cause abortion.”
However, Bishop Libasci maintained that any mandate on contraceptive coverage would violate Catholics' core religious beliefs.
“I humbly ask that in this land of the free, we be allowed to be free,” Libasci said. “As people of faith, that we be allowed to follow the tenets that we have had for so many generations.”