“The Obama Administration’s obsession with forcing mandates on the American people has now reached a new low by violating the conscience rights and religious liberties of our people.”Pending legislation introduced on 2011 includes the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (HR 1179 & S. 1467).
-- Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida 1/31/12
UPDATE 3/1/12: Thirteen Catholic senators joined others to defeat the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, an effort led by Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri.
For background, read The Pope, and Obama's War on Christianity and also read Bishops Say Obama Destroying Societal Norm as well as Gov. Perry Fights Obama's Pro-gay 'War on Religion'
Scroll down for the rest of Sen. Rubio's February 1st address
-- From "Rubio brings bill to floor, charging a violation of religious liberties" by Dan Merica, CNN 2/1/12
The bill looks to repeal health care reform mandates that “violates religious liberties and conscience rights of faith-based institutions,” Rubio said in a news release.
The main concern from religious organizations has been the Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to finalize plans that would require church-affiliated organizations to offer private health care that would include contraceptives.
“What’s at stake is the First Amendment right to religious liberty, and nothing goes to the heart of this civil liberty more than conscience rights,” said Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League.
But while Rubio and Donohue may charge a violation of liberties, presidential hopefuls have been much harder on the president’s relationship with religion. According to some of the Republican presidential hopefuls, Obama, a Christian, is waging a “war on religion.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From “Hospitals, schools and soup kitchens” by Michelle Bauman, CNA/EWTN News 2/2/12
Rubio also criticized the administration for “forcing religious entities to abandon their beliefs.” He described his bill, titled “The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2012,” as “a common sense bill that simply says the government can’t force religious organizations to abandon the fundamental tenets of their faith because the government says so.”
The [ObamaCare] mandate includes a religious exemption, but it applies only to organizations that exist for the purpose of inculcating religious values and limit their service and employment primarily to members of their own faith.
The limited scope of the exemption means that most religiously affiliated ministries and groups will not qualify for it.
The legislation observes that the mandate’s “absurdly narrow exemption,” which is “unprecedented in Federal law,” will exclude thousands of “charities, hospitals, schools or soup kitchens that hire or serve individuals who do not share their religious tenets.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Rubio Senate Bill Would Repeal Obama Anti-Conscience Mandate" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 2/1/12
The Obama Administration issued a statement re-iterating the “contraceptive mandate” requiring all insurance providers cover the full range of FDA-approved drugs and devices would remain intact. This mandate, issued in August, includes drugs that work after conception to destroy life rather than prevent it.
Mandi Campbell of Liberty Counsel Action added: “We appreciate the exemption that your bill provides to secure the consciences of those with deep and sincere religious convictions opposed to the coverage of contraceptives (especially those that act as abortifacients) and sterilization, the provision of which is currently mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Thank you, Senator Rubio, for introducing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2012.”
The [ObamaCare] mandate not only violates such existing conscience protections on abortion such as the Hyde/Weldon Amendment (in so far as Plan B and Ella are covered), but also violates the principles of the Church Amendments which protects conscience rights for those who object to contraceptives and other services on moral or religious grounds. Additionally, the U.S. government already funds domestic family planning at a level of $1.9 billion annually.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Rubio: Life is not a political issue" by Anita Crane, World Net Daily 2/2/12
Rubio said while people push pro-lifers to focus on the national debt, jobs, the economy and other fiscal challenges, “Well, we can’t do that.”
He said, “This speaks to more than just our politics. It speaks to what we want to do in our life to serve and to glorify our Creator.”
Parsing all the arguments for abortion and the Supreme Court’s unconstitutional decision on Roe v. Wade, he said no right, not even a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body, trumps an unborn child’s right to life. He said an increasing number in the public understand this and, “I hope it will continue to show in the political realm.”
He believes that future generations will look back at this era and “condemn us.” He believes they’ll condemn the current culture of death the same way that Americans today condemn bigots for atrocities of the past. Rubio said, “They will look at what happened in this nation since 1973 and they will characterize us as barbaric.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Rubio: ‘America cannot truly fulfill its destiny unless’ it ends abortion" by Caroline May, The Daily Caller 2/2/12
Rubio criticized those who back away from the pro-life fight because it “makes us uncomfortable,” explaining that while other issues — like jobs, the debt, and the economy — are important, abortion is more than a political issue.
“This is an issue that, especially for those that enter the public arena and refuse to leave our faith behind, speaks to more than just our politics,” Rubio said. “It speaks to what we want to do with the opportunity we have been given in our life, to serve and to glorify our Creator.”
“[Roe v. Wade] is perhaps the most egregious and devastating example of a court that has decided that because a political branch will not deal with an issue they think is important, they’re going to step in and make a policy decision and literally create a Constitutional right,” Rubio said, reinforcing the point that Americans should reject Roe v. Wade “on legal grounds alone.”
“America is great because God has blessed America. And America has always honored that blessing by being an example to the world. … There is nothing that America can give this world right now more important than to show that all life — irrespective of the circumstances of its creation, irrespective of the circumstances of its birth, irrespective of the conditions of that they find themselves in — all life, in a planet where life is increasingly not valued, in a planet where people are summarily discarded, all life is worthy of protection. All life enjoys God’s love,” Rubio concluded to a standing ovation.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Obama Wants Catholic Vote but Democrat Platform Anathema
Part 2
Part 3 (end)
