Staff Report
From the Office of Attorney General Luther Strange
(MONTGOMERY)— Today Attorney General Luther Strange joined nine other state attorneys general in opposing the federal’s government’s mandate requiring religious employers that provide health insurance coverage to their employees to include contraceptives, sterilization, and related services. The letter is addressed to Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis.
The letter states in part that “the proposed regulations would compel religious affiliated organizations, hospitals, and universities, and social service entities to subsidize contraceptive products and services which clearly violate their religious beliefs…Not only is the proposed contraceptive coverage mandate for religious employers bad policy, it is unconstitutional. It conflicts with the most basic elements of freedoms of religion, speech, and association, as provided under the First Amendment…We believe it represents an impermissible violation of the Constitution’s First Amendment virtually unparallel in American history.”
“Here we see another example of the Obama administration overstepping their constitutional authority,” said Attorney General Strange. “It is our job as state attorneys general to enforce the laws of our states and protect our citizens’ constitutional rights. This mandate is a clear violation of the First Amendment and must be opposed.”
Attorney General Strange joins Attorneys General Jon Bruning of Nebraska, Greg Abbott of Texas, Alan Wilson of South Carolina, Pam Bondi of Florida, James Caldwell of Louisiana, William Schneider of Maine, Wayne Stenehjem of North Dakota, Mike DeWine of Ohio and Scott Pruitt of Oklahoma.
