Justice Sonia Sotomayor is considering a group of nuns’ request to keep a provision of Obamacare from going into effect. The provision would require them to sign a form in order to be exempted from the contraception mandate.
A light snow falls as visitors gather on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, December 10, 2013.
Jonathan Ernst / Reuters / Reuters
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department and a group of nuns filed dueling papers with Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Friday, arguing over whether a provision in the exemption to the contraception mandate of the Affordable Care Act violates the nuns’ religious liberty.
The filings followed Sotomayor's on New Year's Eve to keep the provision — which would require the nuns and others seeking an exemption from the law to submit a form in order to utilize the exemption from the mandate — from going into effect temporarily.
On Friday morning, the Justice Department described the case as follows:
The employer-applicants contend that self-certifying their eligibility for the accommodation would 'authorize' or 'facilitate' the third-party administrator-applicant's provision of contraceptive coverage. On this basis, applicants claim that the regulations violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA), which provides that the government shall not substantially burden a person's exercise of religion unless the application of that burden is the least restrictive means to advance a compelling governmental interest.
The Justice Department argued, however, “[A]s this case comes to the Court, it is not about the availability or adequacy of a religious accommodation, but rather about whether a religious objector can invoke RFRA to justify its refusal to sign a self-certification that secures the very religion-based exemption the objector seeks.”
The Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged in Denver and others responded later Friday, writing that Obama administration is “simply blind to the religious exercise at issue: the Little Sisters and other Applicants cannot execute the form because they cannot deputize a third party to sin on their behalf.”
Although the request is for Sotomayor to keep an injunction in place while the case proceeds in lower courts, the nuns' group also told the court it should consider hearing the case itself before lower courts consider it. Because the case “is playing out in dozens of courts across the country,” they write, “Allowing this to run its course without this Court's supervision means some religious organizations will be forced into either hypocrisy or financial ruin, while others are protected.”
Sotomayor could decide the request on her own or refer it to the entire court for consideration.
Read the Justice Department's response:
Read the nuns' reply:
Read More: Article Source
Aubrey Lee Price, Fugitive Banker, Suspe...
ATLANTA (AP) — Authorities suspect a former south Georgia banker who disappeared eighteen months back and who faces allegations he stole millions of dollars from traders was growing marijuana in a home in Florida. Aubrey Lee Cost was arrested throughout a visitors stop Tuesday on Interstate ninety five in the...
Green loans worth £5m written off
Far more than £5.2&thinspmillion in loans have been prepared off by the Section of Power and Local climate Alter more than the earlier two monetary a long time right after firms presented improvements for vitality effectiveness tasks went into administration. The taxpayer-funded financial loans had been to support organizations reduce...
Video Of ’12 Years A Slave’ ...
On this working day in 1853, Solomon Northup, a totally free black gentleman who was kidnapped and bought into slavery, regained his freedom. His phenomenal story of energy and survival for the duration of slavery was captured in his memoir and turned into the movie: “12 Several years A Slave.”...
RuPaul Voted ‘Best Reality Host...
Right after an powerful 7 days of voting, the world has last but not least declared what we all presently realized: RuPaul actually is the finest host of a actuality television clearly show there is. The Supermodel of The Entire world conquer out the likes of Adam Levine, Demi Lovato,...
Fears about safety are killing Brighton
New Calendar year&rsquos Working day, time to blow off the cobwebs, put your footwear on, we&rsquoll go down to the center degree of Madeira Travel promenade, our favorite walk, underneath the road but previously mentioned the sea, earlier the big signal that proclaims &ldquoI have great need/ My wish is...
Source:
http://dailynewsen.com/2014/01/03/justice-department-squares-off-against-nuns-in-supreme-court-challenge-over-birth-control-exemption.html