A group of 123 congressional Democrats filed “friend of the court” briefs before the Supreme Court weighs in on a controversial case surrounding Obamacare.
The case, Zubik v. Burwell, focuses on whether religious nonprofits such as charities and universities must provide birth control to their employees despite religious objections.
Obamacare requires all health plans to cover birth control, but religious groups objected by saying that it violates their beliefs. So the administration created an “accommodation” that provides birth control coverage to employees but doesn’t require the employer to pay for it.
However, the plaintiffs in Zubik say that they are still providing birth control and want a total exemption, which means no employee would receive birth control coverage in their healthcare plan.
About 123 Democratic lawmakers, 90 in the House and 33 in the Senate, signed on to the two briefs, saying that the justices should not grant the exemption. The court is scheduled to hear the case next month.
“The Obama administration and the Congress have already ensured that religiously affiliated nonprofits are not paying for care that violates their beliefs,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who signed the briefs.
The plaintiffs in the case, a collection of Catholic bishops, charities and schools, said the accommodation requires them to “facilitate” birth control coverage, according to court filings.
“Under the accommodation, religious objectors have no way to provide health coverage in a manner consistent with their religious beliefs,” the plaintiff’s petition before the Supreme Court said.
The court will hear the case March 23, and a decision is expected in June.
