Boehner vows to overturn Obama’s birth control coverage rule

Boehner vows to overturn Obama’s birth control coverage rule
By Chris Moody | The Ticket – 3 hrs ago

From the Republican presidential candidates to top GOP lawmakers in Washington, party leaders are engaging in a full-court press against the Obama Administration's decision to force employers affiliated with religious groups to offer health care insurance plans to workers that cover birth control free of charge, even if the action contradicts the employer's religious beliefs.

In a rare move for someone in his office, House Speaker John Boehner, Republican of Ohio, took to the floor of the chamber on Wednesday to discuss a legislative plan to overturn the decision. Calling the rule "an unambiguous attack" on faith-based groups, Boehner said the House would begin work on a bill immediately.

"If the president does not reverse the department's attack on religious freedom, then the Congress, acting on behalf of the American people, and the Constitution that we're sworn to uphold and defend, must," Boehner, a Catholic, said. "The House will approach this matter fairly and deliberately through regular order and appropriate legislative channels."

Boehner said that the chamber's Energy and Commerce committee will take the lead in drafting the legislation to overturn the decision.

Last month, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that certain faith-based groups would have one year to comply with the requirement, enacted when Congress passed a federal health care overhaul in 2010. "Nonprofit employers who, based on religious beliefs, do not currently provide contraceptive coverage in their insurance plan, will be provided an additional year, until August 1, 2013, to comply with the new law," Sebelius said in the statement.

The rule still exempts houses of worship from having to provide insurance that offers free contraceptives, but it applies to non-profit organizations funded by churches, including universities, hospitals and charities. The decision not to exempt those groups has resulted in an uproar from religious groups--particularly the Catholic Church--who say the federal mandate to pay for birth control infringes on their religious beliefs.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/...egislation-overturn-obama-rule-174006216.html

 

He also vowed to overturn Obamacare entirely too.

 

Was he crying when he made that vow? I think he has to be crying for it to count.

 

Obama made a bad mistake, Boehner sees a photo op, Obama will probably fix it before Boehner can. Just opportunism at this point. Disappointed in Obama at this point.


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I heard on NPR driving home that Obama is already looking for a way out. They must know they've blundered here and they may have to grant some sort of waiver to religious institutions, all of them.

I suspect they will make the church offer its employees health insurance that has an optional rider for contraception and abortion and the additional premium is paid by the employee. Something like that.

 

Next they will be requiring employers to donate to Planned Parenthood.

It's past time for Boehner to man up or step aside and let someone with balls take the job. Michelle Bachmann maybe. Passing legislation won't do squat and Boehner knows it. It will never get out of the Senate and Obama would veto it anyway, or just ignore it in his new incarnation as Hugo Chavez Obama.

The only way to deal with this is to cut funding for HHS and the other agencies Obama appointed people to without proper confirmation. If it means a government shutdown, then go for it. Ditto with the debt limit. Make your case to the voters and either win or go home.

 

Following this pretty closely. I don't think and Church employees are even affected by this whole thing. The businesses that are owned by Churches are the ones targeted. Makes some sense to have the same labor laws apply to employees of any business venture, other than the actual Church itself.

And, yes, Obama is certainly looking for a way out of upsetting any Church group.


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I could tell from the press secretary's body english yesterday that they are trying to figure out how to walk this back. He should have done it Monday morning. There will be damage now, no matter what he does.

It seems that 2010 did not teach him much, I am very annoyed at such an obvious political mistake.

 

They will not take the gambit in that regard. That's pretty much an all or nothing situation, Boehner is from the moderate wing of the GOP and they do not take those kinds of risks.

 

I think John Boner has mental problems.