U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) told Senate members on Wednesday that legislation proposed by Republicans would create a "contraception ban" for millions of women whose boss may have a personal objection to the use of birth control.
The so-called "Blunt Amendment," named for its sponsor, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), is an amendment to a transportation bill. It would override President Obama's contraception coverage rule and allow any employer to refuse to cover any kind of health care service for religious or moral reasons.
Blunt and others have argued that the issue is one of religious freedom and is unrelated to women's health.
The issue has mushroomed from the president's mandate requiring coverage of contraception services for employees of religious-affiliated organizations. After backlash from religious institutions, the White House later revised the rule to shift the cost of birth control to insurance providers instead.
However, religious and other organizations were not satisfied with the revision, igniting a fierce national debate over birth control and religion. Blunt's amendment states: "Nothing in this title (or an amendment made by this title) shall be construed to require an individual or institutional health care provider, or authorize a health plan to require a provider, to provide, participate in, or refer for a specific item or service contrary to the provider's religious beliefs or moral convictions."
Schumer, the No. 3 Democrat in the Senate, said the amendment is dangerous and wrong.
"This measure would force women to surrender control of their own health decisions to their bosses," Schumer said. "Let's admit what this debate is really and what Republicans really want to take away from American women. It is contraception."
The Senate is expected to vote on the amendment on Thursday.
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