Sen. Franken Backs Legislative Fix to Protect Women’s Health in Aftermath of Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby Decision

U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has helped introduce a key legislative fix to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. The bill would ensure that women in Minnesota and across the country can continue to receive contraceptive care through their employer’s health insurance plan.
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that an employer can refuse to cover a woman’s contraceptive services. Sen. Franken has been fighting to make sure that the more than 500,000 women in Minnesota who have benefited from preventive health care services–including contraception–continue to receive them free of charge.
“The Supreme Court made a terrible decision when it decided that a woman’s boss can make health care decisions for her,” said Sen. Franken. “Those choices should be between a woman and her doctor, plain and simple. The Court’s ruling will deny women access to the health care services they need, and that’s why we have to pass this important legislative fix. Ninety-nine percent of women use birth control at some point in their lives, and more than half a million women in Minnesota have benefited from the requirement that insurance companies provide preventive health services free of charge–including contraception.”
The introduction of the Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act was led by Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.).
The Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act has been endorsed by:
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American Sexual Health Association
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Association of Reproductive Health Professionals
Black Women’s Health Imperative
Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR)
Gender Justice
Global Justice Institute
Guttmacher Institute
Innovation Ohio
Institute for Science and Human Values
Lambda Legal
Law Students for Reproductive Justice
Maine Women’s Lobby
Methodist Federation for Social Action
Metropolitan Community Churches
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Council of Jewish Women
National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
National Partnership for Women and Families
National Women’s Law Center
People For the American Way
Physicians for Reproductive Health
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Population Connection Action Fund
Secular Woman
The Center for Women Policy Studies
The National Abortion Federation
The United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
The Women’s Media Center
UniteWomen
Women’s Business Development Center
Women’s Law Project
Read this original document at: http://www.franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=2888