A victory for Hobby Lobby, religious freedom, and the Pro-Life movement was handed down by the United States Supreme Court today.
Per the high court, the Christian-run arts and crafts organization is not required to adhere to the Obamacare contraceptive mandate. The corporation will not be forced to provide and pay for abortion-inducing drugs to their employees.
Writing the 5-4 majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito, appointed by President George W. Bush, issued the decision for the court, “The Supreme Court holds government can't require closely held corporations with religious owners to provide contraception coverage.”
While non-profit organizations are still waiting for a ruling about their right to opt out of the mandate, the Hobby Lobby decision only applies to companies that are privately held, not publicly traded. The ruling only applies to the abortion mandate, not other various practices to which people may have religious objections.
The majority opinion asserts that the “HHS's contraception mandate substantially burdens the exercise of religion,” but that the “decision concerns only the contraceptive mandate and should not be understood to mean that all insurance mandates.”
Responding to the ruling, Texas Right to Life Legislative Director, John Seago, stated:
“Today is a critical victory for the Pro-Life movement. Since President Obama's pro-abortion administration defined abortifacient drugs like Plan B as 'contraception' in the mandate, this challenge was necessary to protect Pro-Life Americans. The Supreme Court has protected Pro-Life business owners from being forced to violate their moral convictions.”
Texas Right to Life praises the Supreme Court for upholding religious freedom and for protecting companies' rights and abilities to put Life first and to safeguard the consciences of Pro-Life Americans.