Okay so several weeks ago I called, left messages, and sent messages to Scott Brown regarding his views on contraceptive. His office finally responded to me. (I live in MA and I hope he will be my ex-senator from MA in the future)
Dear Ms.,
Thank you for contacting me regarding religious conscience exemptions in healthcare. I value the input of my constituents on all issues and would like to take the opportunity to respond.
The First Amendment to the Constitution secures for all Americans the freedom of religion. Our Founders felt this freedom was so important that they didn’t just place it in the First Amendment — it’s the first thing to be mentioned — ahead of freedom of speech, the press, or the right to petition government. Today, I am supporting a conscience exemption for religious organizations in health care because I want to make sure that we are providing the same protections for religious groups that have existed for more than 220 years. My predecessor, Ted Kennedy, clearly believed in a strong conscience exemption and, in a 2009 letter to Pope Benedict XVI, he wrote: "I believe in a conscience protection for Catholics in the health care field and will continue to advocate for it.''
Under the new health law, religious organizations are being coerced by a federal mandate to violate their deepest religious and moral convictions. Religious organizations are faced with an impossible choice: drop coverage entirely for their employees and pay a punitive fine to the federal government, or violate their faith. As a husband and the father of two daughters, I believe insurers should provide access to contraception services, and I support federal funding for family planning and health services for women. That is the way I have voted as a member of the United States Senate. However, I also respect people of faith and believe we can both provide coverage for the services that women rely on, and have a conscience clause that guarantees religious freedom.
It is for these reasons that I am a cosponsor of the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (S. 1467), which restores the conscience protections in law that existed prior to the new federal mandate proposed in February 2012. As written, this bipartisan legislation would amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to allow organizations of faith to decline coverage of specific items and services that go against the religious beliefs of the sponsor, issuer, or other entity offering the plan or the purchaser or beneficiary. The bill would not impact existing state laws, and it does not address any other law besides the new flawed health care mandate.
Again, thank you for getting in touch with me. As the Senate continues to discuss these issues, I will be sure to keep your views in mind. Should you have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact me or visit my website at www.scottbrown.senate.gov.
Sincerely,
Scott P. Brown
United States Senator
Using Kennedy is disingenuous BS. This is clearly an attack on women.