Democratic contraception bill faces Senate trouble over religious freedom

Key senators have indicated they will vote no on a Democratic bill to ensure access to contraception, citing concerns about lacking protections for people who oppose contraceptives on religious grounds.

The Right to Contraception Act passed the House Thursday in a 228-195 vote, largely along party lines. The measure would guarantee a right to all Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive pills and devices, as well as sterilization procedures. But some Republicans argued that it would strip healthcare providers of their freedom to object to administering birth control or sterilizations on religious or moral grounds.