Last week, the Supreme Court made a decision regarding the Hobby Lobby case, insisting that companies could deny female employees access to birth control depending on religious factors. Today, Democrats in the Senate are starting the fight to try and get that decision overruled.
Women that wished to receive birth control or other forms of contraception would need health insurance coverage to do so through the Affordable Care Act. If an employer with a particular religious background opposed to a woman he or she employed using birth control, they could deny coverage for contraception, according to the legislation.
The case, called Hobby Lobby v. Burwell, saw a decision made last week in a final ruling of five to four. However, Democrats have not settled since then and seek to reverse the decision.
Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington spoke to interviewers about the decision. “Our bill simply says that your boss cannot get between you and your own healthcare. Last week, we saw the Supreme Court give CEOs and corporations across America the green light to design legally mandated healthcare coverage for their employees. Women across the country are outraged.”
Democrats in many states plan to take a proactive approach to the ruling, such as Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader in Nevada, who spoke to interviewers yesterday, July 8th. “One thing we’re going to do during this work period, sooner rather than later, is to ensure that women’s lives are not determined by virtue of five white men. This Hobby Lobby decision is outrageous, and we’re going to do something about it,” he said.
The issue remains a hot one in Alaska as well, where Senator Mark Begich recently visited. He says that at least 60,000 women in the state of Alaska alone would face repercussions from the Hobby Lobby v. Burwell case.
“I can tell you during my trip I just returned from in Alaska, this was the topic. Women are talking about this issue as an impact to their lives, their livelihood and their economic security,” he said.
Those fighting the decision have raised a very interesting example that could prove downright dangerous, and that’s the case of someone requiring HIV treatment or a blood transfusion for medical reasons. Also, certain types of religions, such as Christian Scientists, believe in religion over medical care to treat injuries and illnesses.
Thus far, the Senate bill opposing the Hobby Lobby v. Burwell decision has received 35 cosponsors. One such sponsor, Mark Udall, a Democrat in Colorado, realizes the weight of this monumental decision. “Coloradans understand that women should never have to ask their bosses for a permission slip to access common forms of birth control and other critical services,” he explained.
In the meantime, Democrats like Diana DeGette of Colorado and Louise Slaughter and Jerry Nadler of New York will implement the opposition to the case to chambers of the House. As of this point, no Republicans have supported the effort, which could lead to some difficulties in getting the bill passed.
