We checked back in our archives and found the Little Sisters of the Poor being handed a win in the courts against the Obamacare contraceptive and abortifacient mandate back in January of 2014. The Little Sisters of the Poor have been fighting this fight for more than 10 years now, since the Obama administration. In July of 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the nuns, allowing them an exemption for religious or moral objections. Kamala Harris called it "a shameful decision by the Supreme Court that will deny up to 126,000 employees birth control coverage." Joe Biden released a statement saying that as president, he would “restore the Obama-Biden policy that existed before the Hobby Lobby ruling."
🚨 The Little Sisters of the Poor are not exempt from providing contraception to staff, a federal court ruled Aug. 13, blocking conscience protections set in place by the Trump administration. pic.twitter.com/IL6VuxIQav
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) August 13, 2025
The Little Sisters are still in court. On Wednesday, a federal district court ruled in favor of Pennsylvania and New Jersey in forcing them to provide contraceptive and abortion coverage in their health care plans. Here's a history of the court battle:
BREAKING: In a nationwide ruling against a Trump Administration religious conscience rule, a federal district Court today ruled against the Little Sisters of the Poor. The Court sided with Pennsylvania and New Jersey in their years-long effort to force the Little Sisters of the…
— BECKET (@becketfund) August 13, 2025
The post continues:
… Poor to provide contraceptive and abortion coverage in their healthcare plans. Today’s ruling keeps that effort alive, and the Little Sisters have vowed to appeal the decision.
The Little Sisters of the Poor are an order of Catholic nuns who have cared for the elderly poor for nearly 200 years. They have been in court for over fourteen years, fighting for protection from the contraception mandate which requires them either provide services like the…
— BECKET (@becketfund) August 13, 2025
… week-after pill in their healthcare plan or pay tens of millions of dollars in fines.
Fourteen years ago, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a federal mandate as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), requiring employers to provide contraceptives like the week-after pill, including some that can cause abortion, in their health…
— BECKET (@becketfund) August 13, 2025
… insurance plans. The mandate did not provide a religious exemption.
In 2016, the Little Sisters won protection against the federal government at the Supreme Court, and in 2017, a new federal rule was created which exempted groups like the Little Sisters from the mandate. However, more than a dozen state governments in multiple cases immediately…
— BECKET (@becketfund) August 13, 2025
… sued over the rule, attempting to strong-arm the Little Sisters into either providing contraceptives or paying tens of millions in fines.
In 2020, the Little Sisters won again at the Supreme Court, securing protection from the mandate. But Pennsylvania and New Jersey have continued to fight in court to strip the Little Sisters of that protection.
— BECKET (@becketfund) August 13, 2025
The Little Sisters of the Poor dedicate their lives to caring for the elderly poor until God calls them home. They will continue to fight for the right to carry out their mission without violating their faith and pray for an end to this needless harassment.
— BECKET (@becketfund) August 13, 2025
The district court blessed an out-of-control effort by Pennsylvania and New Jersey to attack the Little Sisters and religious liberty, and the nuns have vowed to appeal the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
— BECKET (@becketfund) August 13, 2025
It is absurd to think the Little Sisters might need yet another trip to the Supreme Court to end what has now been more than a dozen years of litigation over the same issue. But we will fight as far as we need to fight to protect the Little Sisters’ right to care for the elderly…
— BECKET (@becketfund) August 13, 2025
… in peace.
Between the Little Sisters of the Poor and Masterpiece Cake Shop, they just won't give up.
Hard to believe that these state governments keep picking fights they are virtually certain to lose!
— Scott Rasmussen (@ScottWRasmussen) August 13, 2025
A government judge ruling against religious freedom. This case will be 9 minutes of SCOTUS's time, tops.
— Matthew S Harrison (@MatthewSHarriso) August 13, 2025
And I thought 9th Circuit was FUBAR!!!
— John Michael (@MikeQbulldogs71) August 13, 2025
I pray for the little sisters… this fight cannot be easy.
— squatch hiccope (@Mikebgft) August 13, 2025
What part of the recent SCOTUS ruling did this lowly federal district court not understand about nationwide rulings
— Matthew 'Whiz' Buckley (@WhizBuckleyNFH) August 13, 2025
Many in this country are right - we are in a constitutional crisis...but not for the reasons they think
This will not stand
— BrianJosephMcFarland (@BJMcFarland1962) August 13, 2025
This all started under Obama. Shameful disregard for religious liberty.
— Vida Radar (@Vida_radar) August 13, 2025
Yawn. We all know how this ends.
— Teddy Redbones (@Bubble1Mc) August 13, 2025
The court will be overturned and abortion will lose again. But we have to look at NJ and PA laws for malicious intent.
— John_Hardy (@hardy_john63374) August 13, 2025
It's not a good look for New Jersey and Pennsylvania to still be tying up nuns in court even after a Supreme Court ruling. Give it up, guys.
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