Hobby Lobby: No Morning-After Pill

ATTY: HOBBY LOBBY WON'T OFFER MORNING-AFTER PILL

An attorney for Hobby Lobby Stores said Thursday that the arts and crafts chain plans to defy a federal mandate requiring it to offer employees health coverage that includes access to the morning-after pill, despite risking potential fines of up to $1.3 million per day.

Hobby Lobby and religious book-seller Mardel Inc., which are owned by the same conservative Christian family, are suing to block part of the federal health care law that requires employee health-care plans to provide insurance coverage for the morning-after pill and similar emergency contraception pills.

The companies claim the mandate violates the religious beliefs of their owners. They say the morning-after pill is tantamount to abortion because it can prevent a fertilized egg from becoming implanted in a woman's womb.

On Wednesday, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied the companies' request for an injunction.

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I have two comments. First, the federal government has no constitutional authority to demand a private business offer the morning-after pill, or anything else, for that matter.

Second, according to the First Amendment, "Congress shall make no law. . . prohibiting the free exercise [of religion]."  This is a direct attack on religious freedoms in this country.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary