Argument preview: Historic fight over religion and birth control

[Draggingtree]

Scotus: Argument preview: Historic fight over religion and birth control

By Lyle Denniston on Mar 16, 2016 at 12:06 am

Analysis

The stubborn political fight over Obamacare rages on, now a major issue for presidential candidates, and yet the new health care law continues operating much as planned because it has largely survived repeated legal challenges. Another, the fourth to reach the Supreme Court, will be heard by the Justices next week in a highly emotional battle over religion and women’s access to free birth control.

 

Next Wednesday, March 23, the Court will hold ninety minutes of oral argument on seven combined cases, all appealed by religious non-profit schools, colleges, hospitals, or charities, plus Roman Catholic clergy. The only hearing on the Wednesday calendar, it will begin at 10 a.m. At issue is the legality — under a federal law, not the Constitution — of the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that a variety of birth control techniques and devices be made available at no cost to women of child-bearing age.