Statement by Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, on Rubio/Manchin Bill

In today’s USA Today, Anthony Picarello, general counsel for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reveals that they want any business or corporation to be able to refuse birth control coverage benefit to their employees:

"That means removing the provision from the health care law altogether, (Picarello) said, not simply changing it for Catholic employers and their insurers. He cited the problem that would create for 'good Catholic business people who can't in good conscience cooperate with this.'

"'If I quit this job and opened a Taco Bell, I'd be covered by the mandate,' Picarello said."

Statement by Cecile Richards:

"The Rubio-Manchin bill would allow any business or corporation, on the basis of personal religious belief or moral conviction, to take away birth control coverage from their employees.

"That’s not right. It should not be left up to a boss’s personal beliefs whether his employees should be allowed birth control coverage.

"Birth control is basic health care and women should have access to birth control, no matter where they work. That’s why a majority of Americans, including Catholics, support the Obama administration’s birth control benefit.

"The Obama administration’s birth control benefit already includes an expansive refusal exemption, allowing approximately 335,000 churches and houses of worship to refuse to provide birth control for their employees."