Stupak Op-Ed and Brief

Thanks, Rick, for posting about Bart Stupak's USA Today op-ed. (You're always faster than I am!)  As many readers know, Rep. Stupak joined with Democrats for Life of America in an amicus brief in the HHS cases, on which I was counsel of record. The brief argues that there is a distinctively strong tradition of protecting conscientious objections to abortion, one that should inform the interpretation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The op-ed condenses the arguments of the brief.  It also expresses very well Rep. Stupak's belief that to the extent the HHS mandate covers Ella, IUDs, etc., the government has failed to fulfill the spirit of its commitment that the Affordable Care Act would not pressure the consciences of objectors to abortion.