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OBJECTION.
MR. JOHANNS: MR. PRESIDENT, I
COME TO THE FLOOR TODAY TO TALK
ABOUT AN ISSUE OF PARAMOUNT
IMPORTANCE TO OUR COUNTRY, THE
ISSUE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
OUR GREAT NATION WAS FOUNDED ON
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
THIS LIBERTY IS AT THE VERY CORE
OF OUR GOVERNMENT.
IT HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PART
OF OUR HERITAGE SINCE THIS LAND
WAS FIRST SETTLED.
AND IT'S A FREEDOM THAT SETS US
APART FROM MANY COUNTRIES AROUND
THE GLOBE.
THE FRAMERS OF OUR CONSTITUTION
RIGHTFULLY RECOGNIZED THAT AN
INDIVIDUAL'S RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
AND CONSCIENCE IS ABOVE ANY
REGULATION, ANY LEGISLATION.
ONE OF THE CHIEF AUTHORS OF THAT
GUIDING DOCUMENT, JAMES MADISON,
DECLARED -- AND I'M QUOTING --
"CONSCIENCE IS THE MOST SACRED
OF ALL PROPERTY."
UNQUOTE.
THOMAS JEFFERSON SAID -- AND
AGAIN I'M QUOTING -- "NO
PROVISION IN OUR CONSTITUTION
OUGHT TO BE DEARER TO MAN THAN
THAT WHICH PROTECTS THE RIGHT OF
CONSCIENCE AGAINST THE
ENTERPRISES OF THE CIVIL
AUTHORITY."
UNQUOTE.
THESE FUNDAMENTAL VALUES ARE
PART OF THE FABRIC OF THIS GREAT
NATION.
IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT IT'S
THE FIRST FREEDOM IN THE BILL OF
RIGHTS.
IT'S CORE VALUE.
IT'S AN INALIENABLE RIGHT.
THAT MEANS AS PUBLIC SERVANTS,
IT IS OUR UTMOST DUTY TO PROTECT
THIS AMERICAN FREEDOM.
WHEN I WAS SWORN IN AS A UNITED
STATES SENATOR, I, LIKE MY
COLLEAGUES, TOOK AN OATH TO
UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION.
WE ALL BELIEVE STRONGLY IN THAT
OATH.
AND I TAKE SERIOUSLY MY
COMMITMENT TO UPHOLD THE VALUES
AND THE FREEDOMS THAT OUR
FOREFATHERS FOUGHT TO ESTABLISH
AND THAT GENERATIONS OF HEROES
HAVE DIED DEFENDING.
THAT'S WHY TODAY I AM DEVASTATED
TO SEE THIS VERY FREEDOM, THE
HEART OF OUR CONSTITUTION, BEING
SO COMPLETELY IGNORED.
THE PRESIDENT HAS TAKEN AN
UNPRECEDENTED STEP IN THE WRONG
DIRECTION, GROSSLY MISUSING
AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW
HEALTH CARE LAW.
THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS REFUSED
TO EXEMPT RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
THAT SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD FROM
MANDATES IN THE LAW THAT GO
AGAINST THEIR STRONG BELIEFS AND
THEIR VALUES, AND THE VALUES OF
OUR NATION.
LAST AUGUST, IN AN INTERIM FINAL
ROLE, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES ANNOUNCED
WHAT FREE PREVENTIVE SERVICES ON
NEW HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS WOULD
BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE UNDER THE
LAW.
AND THAT THOSE SERVICES MUST
INCLUDE CONTRACEPTIVES AND
CONTROVERSIAL DRUGS LIKE THE
SO-CALLED MORNING AFTER PILL.
WITH THAT MANDATE, THE AGENCY
INCLUDED A SUPPOSED RELIGIOUS
EXEMPTION.
BUT UPON READING THAT, IT WAS
CLEAR THAT THAT WAS SIMPLY
UNACCEPTABLE.
IT IS SO NARROW THAT THE VAST
MAJORITY OF RELIGIOUS HOSPITALS
AND UNIVERSITIES, BUSINESSES,
SOCIAL SERVICES AND CHARITIES
ARE STILL VERY CLEARLY REQUIRED
BY LAW TO COMPLY WITH THE
MANDATE.
MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
STRONG FAITH-BASED MISSIONS AND
DEEPLY HELD CONVICTIONS, YET
THEY DON'T FALL UNDER THE
EXEMPTION.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEIR GOVERNMENT
IS COMPELLING AMERICANS TO ACT
AGAINST THEIR CONSTITUTIONALLY
PROTECTED MORAL AND RELIGIOUS
CONVICTIONS.
SINCE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT,
HUNDREDS OF RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE RAISED THEIR
VOICES, AND I'VE HEARD FROM
COUNTLESS NEBRASKANS.
I HELD A ROUNDTABLE BACK IN
NEBRASKA WHERE THIS WAS THE
TOPIC OF THE DISCUSSION.
26 OF MY COLLEAGUES JOINED
SENATOR HATCH AND I IN SENDING A
LETTER TO THE ADMINISTRATION
CONDEMNING THIS SWEEPING
MANDATE.
WE ASKED THEM TO REDRAFT THE
REGULATIONS SO IT'S CONSISTENT
WITH LONG-STANDING
CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES.
DESPITE THESE STRONG EFFORTS
JUST RECENTLY, WE LEARNED THAT
OUR PASSIONATE CONCERNS HAD BEEN
DISMISSED.
VERY DISAPPOINTINGLY, THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS ANNOUNCED
THAT THEY WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH
THE AUGUST INTERIM RULE.
AND UNDER THE GUISE OF
COMPROMISE, THEY ANNOUNCE THAT
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS WOULD
HAVE AN ADDITIONAL YEAR BEFORE
THE MANDATE WAS ENFORCED.
IN OTHER WORDS, AFTER ELECTION
DAY.
THE HEAD OF THE DIOCESE OF
LINCOLN, A MAN I HAVE GREAT
ADMIRATION FOR, BISHOP FABIAN
BRESCOWICZ CALLED THE
ADMINISTRATION'S EXTENSION A --
QUOTE -- ACTIVE MOCKERY,
UNQUOTE.
AMERICANS ARE NOT FOOLED BY THIS
NONSENSICAL EXTENSION.
THE ISSUE IS NOT THAT RELIGIOUS
GROUPS HAVE TIME TO COMPLY.
THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE IT'S THAT
THEY ARE BEING FORCED TO PROVIDE
COVERAGE THAT GOES AGAINST THEIR
CONSCIENCE, THEIR RELIGIOUS
BELIEFS, THEIR MORAL BELIEFS.
BISHOP BRESCOWICZ WENT ON TO
WARN -- "OUR AMERICAN RELIGIOUS
LIBERTY IS IN GRAVE JEOPARDY."
UNQUOTE.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT BY
ISSUING THIS DECISION, THIS
ADMINISTRATION HAS IGNORED THE
MOST SACRED OF ALL AMERICAN
FREEDOMS.
JUST A WEEK BEFORE THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT, THE SUPREME COURT
UNANIMOUSLY AFFIRMED A CORE
CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE OF
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN THE
DECISION.
THE COURT HELD THAT CHURCHES AND
OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUPS MUST BE
FREE TO CHOOSE THEIR LEADERS
WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE.
YET, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS
CLEARLY COME OUT ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF OUR CONSTITUTION.
NOW, DURING THE HEALTH CARE
DEBATE, WE HEARD SOMETHING
VASTLY DIFFERENT.
THE PRESIDENT REPEATEDLY
PROMISED THE OPPOSITE.
HE PLEDGED THAT THE NEW HEALTH
CARE LAW WOULD NOT WEAKEN
LONG-HELD LIFE AND CONSCIENCE
PROTECTIONS.
IN HIS PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT
THE HEALTH OVERHAUL, HE VOWED --
-- QUOTE -- "FEDERAL CONSCIENCE
LAWS WOULD REMAIN IN PLACE."
HE EVEN ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE
ORDER WHERE HE STATED THAT --
"LONG-STANDING FEDERAL LAWS TO
PROTECT CONSCIENCE WILL REMAIN
INTACT."
MANY OF US, MYSELF INCLUDED,
DURING THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE
WARNED THAT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER
WAS JUST WINDOW DRESSING TO GET
VOTES AND WOULD DO NOTHING TO
PROTECT LIFE IN MATTERS OF
CONSCIENCE.
WHILE SUPPORTERS OF THE BILL
ECHOED THE PRESIDENT'S PROMISE,
I SPOKE ON THE SENATE FLOOR,
ONCE IN NOVEMBER AND AGAIN IN
MARCH, WARNING AMERICANS THAT
THEY SHOULD NOT BE FOOLED BY
HOLLOW PROMISES, AND I URGED MY
PRO-LIFE COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME
IN OPPOSING THIS DANGEROUS
POLICY.
WELL, NOW, TWO YEARS AFTER THE
LAW'S PASSAGE, THE TRUTH BEHIND
THE ADMINISTRATION'S PRIORITIES
HAS BEEN REVEALED.
THE PRESIDENT HAS REGRETTABLY
PUNTED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
THIS CONTROVERSIAL MANDATE UNTIL
AFTER THE ELECTION.
SO NOW MANY RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS ARE FORCED TO FACE
TWO OPTIONS.
ACT AGAINST THEIR CONVICTIONS OR
DROP HEALTH CARE COVERAGE
ALTOGETHER.
THIS DECISION COMES FROM AN
ADMINISTRATION THAT GRANTED OVER
1,700 HEALTH PLANS WITH WAIVERS
FROM THE LAW'S MAJOR PROVISIONS,
MANY OF THOSE TO UNIONS.
A TOTAL OF FOUR MILLION PEOPLE,
INCLUDING SELECT BUSINESSES AND
UNIONS, HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE
WAIVER PROCESS.
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS GONE OUT
OF ITS WAY TO GUIDE ITS FRIENDS
AROUND THE ONEROUS MANDATES OF
THIS FLAWED POLICY.
YET THE SAME ADMINISTRATION IS
UNWILLING TO PROTECT A
FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL
FREEDOM BY SIMPLY CRAFTING A
REASONABLE EXCEPTION FOR
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
WOULD PRESIDENTS THOMAS
JEFFERSON OR JAMES MADISON HAVE
FORCED VAST SWATHS OF SOCIETY TO
TAKE ACTION AGAINST THEIR
CONSCIENCE?
THE ANSWER IS RESOUNDING AND
OBVIOUS NO.
THIS POLITICAL POSTURING IS
OBVIOUS AND IT'S APPALLING.
THIS POLITICAL MANEUVERING COMES
AT A HEAVY COST FOR MANY
AMERICANS.
IT IS A BREACH OF VALUES AND
BELIEFS.
IT RUNS COUNTER TO THE VERY CORE
OF OUR IDENTITY AS AMERICANS.
NEVER BEFORE HAS THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT REQUIRED THAT
INDIVIDUALS PROVIDE A PRODUCT
THAT VIOLATES THEIR CONSCIENCE,
AND NOW MANY AMERICANS ARE
QUESTIONING WHAT WILL COME NEXT.
THEY RECOGNIZE THAT OTHER
STRONGLY HELD BELIEFS COULD ALSO
BE COMPROMISED.
I'M NOT ALONE IN BEING DEEPLY
TROUBLED BY THIS
ADMINISTRATION'S COMPLETE
DISREGARD OF THE LIBERTIES IN
OUR CONSTITUTION.
IT IS THESE LIBERTIES THAT MAKE
OUR COUNTRY GREAT.
I AM A COSPONSOR OF THE RESPECT
FOR RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE ACT
INTRODUCED BY MY COLLEAGUE,
SENATOR BLUNT.
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD REVERSE
THE ADMINISTRATION'S MASSIVE
OVERSTEP AND ENSURE THAT ALL
CONSCIENCE RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED.
I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER
TO PUSH THIS TO A VOTE.
WE MUST ACT TO RIGHT THIS WRONG.
WE MUST ENSURE THAT AMERICA'S
VALUES ARE NOT COMPROMISED.
WE MUST PROTECT RELIGIOUS
LIBERTY.
WE ALL TOOK AN OATH TO DO SO.