There’s no denying that 2017 was a tough year for advocates of religious freedom and church-state separation. Yet despite the barrage of assaults from the Donald Trump-Mike Pence administration, Americans United saw important victories in and out of court.
As we look ahead to 2018, here’s a list of what are, in our opinion, the top 10 church-state stories from 2017:
A federal court in Pennsylvania today issued an order temporarily blocking implementation of Trump administration rules that allow employers and universities to restrict employees’ and students’ access to birth control by citing religious or moral objections.
Americans United is litigating a similar legal challenge to the Trump regulations.
Kelly Percival, an attorney with Americans United, issued the following statement:
The vast majority of voters – 82 percent – think birth control should be covered in health insurance plans, even if employers are morally opposed to it.
Most American women use or have used birth control, and most would likely tell you how important it is to them. There’s the obvious benefits: contraception lets women decide when and whether to start or grow their family, and protects their health by treating common medical conditions. But contraception also contributes to women’s equality by allowing them to pursue education and careers, and even increases the chance they will make more money. These are just a few of the reasons that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) ensures that women have seamless access to no-cost contraception.
Today marks a day of action against President Donald J. Trump’s attacks on contraceptive access. Last month, Trump announced regulations that would allow any employer or university, and even for-profit corporations, to use religion to deny contraception insurance coverage to their employees and students.
We want you to join us in taking action.
