White House Attacks Marco Rubio's Contraception Bill

WASHINGTON — The White House said Monday legislation in the Senate that would give employers broad leeway to restrict coverage for contraception is "dangerous and wrong."

Press secretary Jay Carney took aim at legislation by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. – a possible GOP vice presidential candidate – and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., that would allow any employer to deny birth control coverage if it runs counter to their religious or moral beliefs.

Another bill, by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., would go even further by allowing health plans to deny coverage for any service that violates their beliefs.

Both approaches are far more expansive than allowing conscience protections just for churches and church-affiliated employers. President Barack Obama stirred up the issue recently by trying to get religious-affiliated employers like Catholic hospitals to provide free birth control coverage to their employees. The president bowed to intense opposition last week and declared that such coverage would be provided by insurance companies instead.

Carney said both the Rubio and Blunt bills take "absolutely the wrong approach." He said it's vital for women no matter where they work to have access to free preventive care, including birth control.

Alex Conant, spokesman for Rubio, responded that, "The Obama administration is willing to violate religious liberties with its federal takeover of health care. It's clear that legislation is needed to protect these important constitutional freedoms from federal overreach."

Earlier on HuffPost:

Comments

[lithcanine]

12:32 PM on 03/19/2012

I wish people would stop referring to "free birth control". It is NOT free when it is included in health care plans that people PAY for, usually through the nose.

[Lynn Fox]

10:20 PM on 03/18/2012

A rider must be attached to any such bill that says clear proof is provided of the employer's objections. Namely, just because the bill is passed and as of its effective date, that is not satisfactory evidence that the employer has morale or religious objections. Documented proof of religious or morale objections well beforehand must be provided to the employee if denial is made.

[ZeraLee]

03:29 PM on 02/15/2012

This is just another political grenade. They couldn't possibly want to destabilize the health care industry with this sort of systemic anarchy.

They couldn't be *that* anti-social.

Could they?

[ussuri]

12:00 PM on 02/14/2012

Rubio= Dark Ages mentality from Cuba.

[dfranz]

11:55 AM on 02/14/2012

Considering that an estimated 95% of all women use contraception it is impossible for me to see how this brings anyone but prolife white men to the Republican Party, and they are already there anyway. If they keep it up the GOP might be a mens only club. hahahaha

[Joel Smithis]

11:44 AM on 02/14/2012

GOPers are doing exactly what Taliban is doing in Afghanistan, restrict individual rights and subject them to religious laws!

[magnolialover]

12:49 PM on 02/14/2012

Yeah, but they're Christian, so it's OK (sarcasm).

This is how the Christian Jihadists start.

[Hammerlock]

11:24 AM on 02/14/2012

I can't wait until the GOP unveils their next act: bringing dowries back in vogue!

The GOP: proud party of the 13th century for both women's rights and economic systems!

[jalaroc]

10:59 AM on 02/14/2012

Seriously? Do these people have a brain in their head? I can see it now, insurance companies sending denial of service letters because chemotherapy is against their beliefs.

[dvncmdy]

10:42 AM on 02/14/2012

I would like to know how many people that oppose contraception actually use contraception. Kind of like how many people that oppose gays and lesbians are really gay and lesbian. Kind of like people that oppose a "nanny state" getting food stamps. Kind of like a bunch of people pretending to have morals when then don't.

[magnolialover]

12:50 PM on 02/14/2012

Well, Rubio has been married since 1997, and "only" has 4 children. Something tells me that he's using contraception of some sort. If not, he'd have a Duggar brood running around Florida.

[MANOFCOMMONSENSE]

10:39 AM on 02/14/2012

Rubio.. is much like Rick Perry of Texas... Shame on voters from Florida

[Larry Lambert]

10:26 AM on 02/14/2012

What is marco rubio an ILLEGAL and a liar doing proposing laws?

[Hammerlock]

11:21 AM on 02/14/2012

Rubio is quite legal. Which is actually to his own chagrin--he likes to portray himself as the son of cuban refugees, but his parents actually emigrated to the US well before Castro's revolution.

[Downrivers]

10:24 AM on 02/14/2012

I would urge Congress for an up or down vote on the Rubio and/or Blount Bills....it's time to send Regressives packing.

[CraigVale]

10:15 AM on 02/14/2012

Rubio is still apprenticing his new role as a nascent liar and still has some rough edges he needs to grind down. Give him a couple more years and he will undoubtably become a consummate story teller.

[Proud Progressive]

10:00 AM on 02/14/2012

So it is perfectly OK to force your religious beliefs upon your workforce???? Hop I never work for a Witness, or a Scientist.

[shrn]

09:51 AM on 02/14/2012

Do these same insurance companies restrict the use of Viagra? Just asking?

Birthcontrol isn't just for the prevention of babies. Any woman knows about irregular periods, excessive periods. Birthcontrol helps with that.