New Hampshire Republicans Criticize President Obama’s Birth Control Rule

New Hampshire Republicans Criticize President Obama’s Birth Control Rule

Sen. Kelly Ayotte spoke during a press conference held at Capitol Hill in Washington, on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, to criticize U.S. President Barack Obama for being adamant in his stand that employers must have the provision of health insurance to their employees.  This health insurance includes birth control for women.

One outcome of the Republican indignation over Obama's new insurance coverage policy that includes birth control for women is that some GOP lawmakers are forced to implement the same policies in their own states, some even without religious exemptions.

New Hampshire demonstrates the GOP problem.  William O'Brien, State House Speaker, laid out a resolution on Friday recommending the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to repeal the Obama rule which requires employers to cover contraception without any counterpart from their employees.  O'Brien, together with state House Republican Leader D.J. Bettencourt, Rep. Charles Bass, a spokesman for Rep. Frank Guinta and Bishop Peter Libasci, addressed the reporters at a press conference that Obama's rule requiring insurers to cover birth control when the employer morally objects, doesn't honor religious freedom.

"This is about ensuring we do not mandate things contrary to people's moral and religious views," Bettencourt said.

However, it would be surprising to note that New Hampshire already has had a similar law for more than ten years now that requires insurance coverage for contraceptive methods -- and that law has no religious exemptions. It successfully passed with strong bipartisan support, and religious groups in the state have been observing the law for years without complaints.  The only difference between Obama's rule and the state law is that in New Hampshire, women are still responsible for insurance co-pay.

Terie Norelli, State House Minority Leader (D-Portsmouth), said that none of the Republican lawmakers, Catholic groups or bishops stated their complaints against that New Hampshire's law until now.

Posted by James Fried on Wednesday February 15 2012, 5:01 AM EST. Ref: Google. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0