The second annual Fortnight for Freedom has begun. This is the two weeks before Independence Day when we celebrate and exercise our “first freedom”—religious liberty and conscience rights.
Sadly, these freedoms are under attack by the Obama Administration’s HHS Mandate—which forces employers, against their religious and moral beliefs, to facilitate coverage of life-ending drugs and devices including the abortion inducing drug ella.
Currently, conscientious American business owners are being forced to choose between violating their beliefs or paying fines so great that they would likely be forced out of businesses. On August 1st, religious non-profits will be added to the casualties from this coercive policy—as their exemption expires.
During the two weeks of the Fortnight for Freedom, we urge every freedom-loving American to fight for their religious liberty and conscience rights and to do their duty as citizens by contacting their Senators and Congressmen and asking them to pass the Health Care Conscience Rights Act H.R. 940/S. 1204.
This bill will not only protect against the HHS Mandate, but it will also strengthen the conscience laws that are currently on the books by giving healthcare providers the right to sue if they are forced to violate their consciences.
Last week, Senators Deb Fischer and Tom Coburn, M.D. introduced the Senate companion to the House bill. They could not have introduced this bill at a more opportune time for a couple of reasons. First, as we approach Independence Day, we need to take the opportunity to celebrate the freedoms that this country was founded upon – particularly, religious liberty and freedom of conscience. Supporting the Health Care Conscience Rights Act is the perfect way to show how much you cherish the freedoms that cost so many Americans their very lives to guarantee our liberty.
Second, the introduction of this bill in the Senate is timely because the August 1st expiration date on the “safe harbor” is fast approaching. The safe harbor is the policy which currently shields religious non-profit groups from this coercive mandate. Once this policy expires, these conscientious Americans will be in the same boat as private employers that are currently being coerced to pay for drugs and devices that they find morally repugnant.
We cannot count on the courts to address this problem before August 1st. Congress must act—to protect this First Amendment right to exercise one’s conscience! Contact your Senator and Congressman today.
