WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? President Barack Obama's new rule on contraceptives amounts to an attack on religious freedom and Congress will act, if needed, to stop it, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said on Wednesday.
Boehner, the top U.S. Republican, said Obama should reverse the rule, which requires health insurance plans, including those offered by Catholic charities, hospitals and universities, to provide birth control to women.
Boehner said if the president refuses to rescind the measure, Congress will do so itself through the legislative process.
The rule has drawn fire from religious leaders and a number of politicians, including Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Speaking on the House floor, Boehner, who is Catholic, said, "This attack by the federal government on religious freedom in our country cannot stand and will not stand."
The Obama administration said on Tuesday it is willing to work with church-affiliated employers to implement the new policy, which was finalized on January 20. But the administration gave no indication it would reverse course.
Over the weekend, Catholic clergy across the country called for congregations to pressure Obama to back down.
Boehner said "Americans of every faith and political persuasion have mobilized in objection" to the rule, which he said "constitutes an unambiguous attack on religious freedom."
Boehner said, "This rule would require faith-based employers ... to provide services they consider immoral," including, "sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs and devices, and contraception."
(Reporting By Thomas Ferraro; Editing by Sandra Maler and Bill Trott)
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