WASHINGTON & SANTA FE, NM (By Alex M. Parker, US News) — Obama's attempt to thread the needle on the issue of whether religious institutions should provide contraception isn't winning over his harshest critics, and likely also won't stop a legislative showdown.
On Friday, Obama announced a compromise over the controversial policy, stating employers with religious objections to providing cost-free birth control to employees wouldn't have to — but women could receive it directly from health insurers, free of cost.
But critics are questioning whether "free" is really free.
Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt blasted the decision as a mere "accounting gimmick" — and, according to his office, he will continue to push for legislation to repeal the contraception mandate for most religious institutions.
"It's still clear Obama does not understand this isn't about cost — it's about who controls the religious views of faith-based institutions," Blunt said in a released statement. "Obama believes he should have control. The United States Constitution states otherwise."
Blunt plans to continue to push for legislation to force an up-or-down vote in Congress on the entire rule, which only grants limited religious exemptions to churches on requirements employers provide contraceptives.
Blunt tried on Thursday night to include the bill as an amendment to a larger piece of legislation, but was blocked by Senate Majority Leader Democrat Harry Reid.
House Speaker John Boehner signaled the legislative push would continue in the House, as well — and while not quite opposing the deal, expressed deep skepticism and complained religious leaders weren't involved in the process.
"The Catholic Church and others in our nation's religious community are not yet convinced Obama's mandate doesn't constitute an attack on religious freedom," a Boehner spokesman said.
Sen. Tom Coburn — a Republican from Oklahoma and an obstetrician and gynecologist — is not buying Obama's policy either.
"No such a thing as 'free' in Obamacare. Taxpayers always pay," he wrote on Twitter.
The right-leaning Heritage Foundation claimed the cost would ultimately fall on religious institutions, even if they were not directly charged.
"Under Obama's proposal, employers and employees will still bear the cost of paying for coverage of contraception, abortion-inducing drugs, and sterilization.," wrote Jennifer Marshall, director of domestic policy for the Foundation.
"Insurance companies will simply pass on the cost of this 'free' service with higher premiums to the employer," added Jennifer Marshall.
