The House has been hard at work in recent weeks passing spending bills to fund the government — but it’s no secret that these bills are about more than just setting funding levels. As has been the case historically, these bills are a chance for Congress to show the American people where its priorities really lie. And this year, the agenda includes discriminating against women in the name of religious liberty.
Two harmful new policy riders make that crystal clear.
One is a sweeping provision called theHealth Care Conscience Rights Act, which would allow any employer or insurance company to deny health insurance coverage for any health care service they have a religious or moral objection to, even if it’s required by law. Under this exceptionally broad language, companies could deny coverage for a wide range of important preventive care, like mental health screenings, vaccines, or tests for cervical cancer, HIV, or Type 2 Diabetes.