First Liberty Institute Attorneys Meet with Executive Agency on Draft HHS Contraceptive Mandate Rule

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, attorneys with First Liberty Institute held an on-the-record meeting with officials from the executive agencies tasked with reviewing rules related to the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate following President Trump's Executive Order from May 4, 2017, entitled, "Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty." During the meeting, First Liberty urged that the draft interim final rule leaked to the press last month and offering broad conscience protections be made final as soon as possible.

Read First Liberty's letter provided to Director Mick Mulvaney on behalf of its clients at Monday's meeting by clicking here.

"Our clients have been litigating against the government's effort to punish business owners and ministry leaders for following their religious beliefs and moral convictions since 2013," said Matthew Kacsmaryk, Deputy General Counsel for First Liberty.  "As President Trump recognized in the Rose Garden on May 4, it is time to reaffirm 'America's leadership role as a nation that protects religious freedom for everyone.'  That starts by finalizing this draft interim final rule and ending years of litigation."

First Liberty Institute currently represents the Insight for Living Ministries, the Bible-teaching ministry of Pastor Charles R. Swindoll, along with four retirement communities and two colleges associated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church.

In late May, a draft of an interim final rule was leaked the press.  The draft rule proposes to reverse guidelines instituted during the Obama administration.  Rather than offer narrow exemptions limited primarily to churches and their auxiliaries, under the draft interim final rule, Trump administration officials appear poised to adopt broad exemptions based upon an individual, business, or organization's religious conscience or moral conviction. 

First Liberty is a non-profit, public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious liberty for all Americans. 

SOURCE First Liberty Institute