Americans United for Life Files a Brief Regarding the Constitutionality of the Abortion Mandate in President Obama's Healthcare Law Before the U.S. Supreme Court

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Americans United for Life joined forces with other pro-life legal organizations to file the leading pro-life amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Obama Administration's healthcare law, violates the Constitution by forcing Americans to pay for abortion.

AUL President and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest stated, "President Obama's healthcare overhaul includes an 'abortion premium mandate' that blatantly violates the conscience rights and First Amendment religious rights of millions of Americans. Nowhere in the Constitution does it require Americans to violate their beliefs and pay for abortions."

Yoest noted that courts agreed with her assessment. "The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Affordable Care Act, including the 'abortion premium mandate,' was 'an unprecedented exercise of congressional power.' Today's amicus brief demonstrates to the Supreme Court that the Eleventh Circuit was correct in their analysis," she said.

Nestled within the "individual mandate" in the Act—that portion of the Act requiring every American to purchase government-approved insurance or pay a penalty—is an "abortion premium mandate." This mandate requires all persons enrolled in insurance plans that include elective abortion coverage to pay a separate premium from their own pockets to fund abortion. As a result, many pro-life Americans will have to decide between a plan that violates their consciences by funding abortion, or a plan that may not meet their health needs.

"Over the last few weeks, we've seen a clear abortion agenda hidden in the pages of the healthcare law through the controversy surrounding the abortion-inducing drug mandate," said Dr.Yoest. "Forcing either companies or individuals to pay for abortion-inducing drugs against their consciences is a clear violation of the rights of individuals under the First Amendment. This case is further evidence that abortion is included throughout the healthcare law.

AUL joined lead counsel Bioethics Defense Fund, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, the Alliance Defense Fund, and the Life Legal Defense Foundation in filing a brief on behalf of American College of Pediatricians, Christian Medical & Dental Associations, American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Catholic Medical Association, Physicians for Life, National Association of Pro-Life Nurses, and Medical Students for Life of America.

The brief is available here.

SOURCE Americans United for Life