According to Yahoo News, 19 Democratic senators will file a “friend of the court” brief with the United States Supreme Court Tuesday, siding with the Obama administration against the owners of Hobby Lobby.
The 19 senators—all of whom voted for the popular RFRA [Religious Freedom Restoration Act] in 1993—argue that the law’s religious protections were never intended apply to a for-profit company. Hobby Lobby’s “gross misapplication” of the law perverts Congress’ intent in passing it, they write in the brief, which was obtained by Yahoo News.
Congress intended RFRA to protect individuals and non-profits from government interference in their religious beliefs, and explicitly left out for-profit companies from its protection, they write. The Democratic senators argue that a decision in favor of Hobby Lobby would allow “a secular, for-profit corporations’ shareholders, through the corporation, to impose their religious beliefs on their employees and to deny employees health benefits and rights to which they are entitled.”
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) is leading the effort and will make a statement Tuesday.
Hobby Lobby is suing to be freed from the Obamacare mandate requiring the company to offer certain types of contraception, including IUDs and the Plan B “morning after” pill.
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