The Equitable Access to Care and Health Act

Floor Speech

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today the House acted on an important piece of legislation that strikes at the very heart of our democracy--the Equitable Access to Care and Health Act, or EACH Act.

The individual mandate of the 2010 health care law included a very narrow exemption for religious groups, meaning that members of certain recognized religious sects could be exempted from the requirement to purchase health care or face a penalty of a tax for noncompliance.

To qualify for the current exemption, individuals must waive all public and private insurance benefits, including Social Security and Medicare. Individuals who participate in Social Security and Medicare but whose religious beliefs cause them to object to medical health care are not eligible for the existing exemption.

The EACH Act, which had bipartisan support, expands this exemption for individuals whose sincerely held religious beliefs would cause them to object to medical health care provided under such coverage.

Mr. Speaker, religious freedom must be protected for all Americans. Passage of the EACH Act is a step forward in safeguarding this fundamental and enduring principle.

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