![\"Cecilia](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/85\/2012\/02\/Cecilia_Munoz.jpg\")
<\/a>I reckon this can be considered \u201cbreaking news,\u201d because the following note just landed in my e-mail inbox from the White House.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the official response to the little petition that can<\/a>, written by the person in the photograph above. Take it away (but not our freedoms, please), Cecelia,<<\/p>\n Protecting the Health of Women While Accommodating Religious Liberty<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n By Cecilia Mu\u00f1oz, Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council<\/em><\/p>\n Thank you for using We the People to make your voice heard about the Obama Administration\u2019s decision to ensure that women have access to free preventive care with no co-pays, including contraceptive services, no matter where they work.<\/p>\n As background, the Affordable Care Act requires insurance companies to cover preventive services, including preventive care for women, without charging a co-pay, starting on August 1, 2012. These preventive services include well women visits, domestic violence screening, and contraception, and all were recommended to the Secretary of Health and Human Services by the independent Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science.<\/p>\n The policies we have proposed exempt churches, other houses of worship, and similar organizations from covering contraception on the basis of their religious objections. But some religious organizations have raised religious liberty concerns about providing contraception in particular in recent weeks.<\/p>\n Today, President Obama has announced that his Administration will implement this policy in a manner that fully accommodates religious liberty while protecting the health of women.<\/p>\n As the President said:<\/p>\n \u201cNearly 99 percent of all women have relied on contraception at some point in their lives \u2013- 99 percent. And yet, more than half of all women between the ages of 18 and 34 have struggled to afford it. So for all these reasons, we decided to follow the judgment of the nation\u2019s leading medical experts and make sure that free preventive care includes access to free contraceptive care. Whether you\u2019re a teacher, or a small businesswoman, or a nurse, or a janitor, no woman\u2019s health should depend on who she is or where she works or how much money she makes. Every woman should be in control of the decisions that affect her own health. Period. This basic principle is already the law in 28 states across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow, as we move to implement this rule, however, we\u2019ve been mindful that there\u2019s another principle at stake here \u2013- and that\u2019s the principle of religious liberty, an inalienable right that is enshrined in our Constitution. As a citizen and as a Christian, I cherish this right. In fact, my first job in Chicago was working with Catholic parishes in poor neighborhoods, and my salary was funded by a grant from an arm of the Catholic Church.<\/strong> And I saw that local churches often did more good for a community than a government program ever could, so I know how important the work that faith-based organizations do and how much impact they can have in their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n Video of his entire statement is available here.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Here are a few basic facts:<\/p>\n Under the policy, women have access to preventive care with no co-pay that includes contraceptive services.<\/p>\n All churches and houses of worship are exempt from the requirement to provide coverage for contraception or refer for contraception.<\/p>\n If a woman\u2019s employer is a religious non-profit organization, such as a charity hospital that has a religious objection to providing contraceptive services as part of its health plan, her insurance company \u2014 not the hospital or charity \u2014 will be required to reach out and provide her contraceptive care free of charge if she chooses to use it.<\/p>\n There are tremendous health benefits for women that come from using contraception. Contraception is a safe and effective way of preventing unintended pregnancies which can be associated with increased health risks, and doctors also prescribe contraception for medical and health reasons, including helping to reduce the risk of some cancers, serious infections and cysts. Yet many women skip contraceptive care because of cost.<\/p>\n President Obama is also committed to preserving religious liberty and he listened to the concerns raised by certain religious organizations and took them seriously.<\/p>\n You can learn more about the policy here.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n This is an issue where people of good will on both sides of the debate have been grappling to find a solution that works for everyone, and the policy announced today has done that. The right to religious liberty will be fully protected, and a law that requires preventive care without co-pays will not discriminate against any woman, anywhere. Here are a few statements from groups involved in the issue:<\/p>\n Catholics United<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n President Obama has shown us that he is willing to rise above the partisan fray to deliver an actual policy solution that both meets the health care needs of all employees and respects the religious liberty of Catholic institutions.<\/p>\n Catholic Health Association<\/strong>:<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWe are pleased and grateful that the religious liberty and conscience protection needs of so many ministries that serve our country were appreciated enough that an early resolution of this issue was accomplished.\u201d<\/p>\n Planned Parenthood:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe Obama administration has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring all women will have access to birth control coverage, with no costly co-pays, no additional hurdles, and no matter where they work.\u201d<\/p>\n NARAL:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s announcement makes it clear that President Obama is firmly committed to protecting women\u2019s health.\u201d<\/p>\n Thank you again for participating in the We the People<\/em> platform to make your voice heard on this important issue.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n They didn\u2019t waste much time, did they? No real big shocking surprise that they quoted the groups they did. \u00a0It looks like they didn\u2019t hear back from Catholic Charities USA<\/strong> in time to add their name to the list of \u201cCatholic\u201d groups that jumped the gun before the bishops (USCCB) officially respond. Pity.<\/p>\n You can check it out there at your leisure. You can read the official response at this link as well.<\/p>\n While you\u2019re there, sign the petition<\/a> if you haven\u2019t yet.<\/p>\n So there you have it folks, all the news that\u2019s fit to print on the HHS Mandate Petition. That\u2019s the way it is, on Friday, February 10, 2012.<\/p>\n UPDATE:<\/strong> Looks like the ship has been anchored at Lando Calrissians\u2019 planet. You may not be able to sign it anymore after all. \u201cSeizure\u201d answered, and he doesn\u2019t want us padding the numbers, I reckon. That\u2019s probably a record for fastest response ever, as the due date on the FoC petition wasn\u2019t until February 27. I salute the 29,127 of you who stood up to be counted.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll call this what it is, then: a minor victory for our side.\u00a0Thanks for all your support and signatures. I\u2019m a turning the keys over to the USCCB now. Here is their second response of the day and they say the only solution is to \u201crescind the mandate.\u201d<\/a> Good choice of words there, if I do say so myself.<\/p>\n God bless you all, and may God bless America. Now, use the combox below to tell the Administration what you think, y\u2019all. Because you can\u2019t reply over at the White House, so the party is at my place. Need help getting your juices flowing? Play me a tune, fellows.<\/p>\n