Washington D.C., Jul 8, 2013 / 17:13 pm
After an initial analysis of the finalized HHS mandate, the U.S. bishops are warning that despite changes, the regulation still threatens the Church's ability "to carry out the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ."
"Although the Conference has not completed its analysis of the final rule, some basic elements of the final rule have already come into focus," said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In a July 3 statement, he explained that so far, the conference "has not discovered any new change that eliminates the need to continue defending our rights in Congress and the courts."
The statement came in response to the release of the final rules regulating the federal HHS mandate, which requires employers to offer health insurance plans that cover contraception, sterilization and some drugs that can cause early abortions.