Lankford: Religious Freedom Preserved in SCOTUS Hobby Lobby Decision

Statement

Representative James Lankford (R-Okla.) expressed his support today after the Supreme Court released its decision that Oklahoma City-based Hobby Lobby is not required to provide abortifacient drugs to its employees under Obamacare's mandate.

"The court's decision today in favor of Hobby Lobby affirms every Americans' constitutional right to religious liberty. In a time when our constitutional liberties are under attack, today's decision represents a significant victory to preserve those rights," said Lankford. "I applaud Hobby Lobby and its owners for tenaciously pursuing protection of religious liberty on behalf of themselves, their employees and all Americans.

"The Court's opinion affirmed that the President cannot tell individuals with sincere religious beliefs they can only practice their faith in the privacy of their home but not in other areas of their life. In addition to the religious liberty victory, this decision also limits this Administration's capacity to fine faith-based companies out of existence for failing to comport with the President's beliefs. Since the case centers around companies with greater than fifty employees, it would have created an arbitrary change in citizen rights and companies who grow past fifty people. The Court rejected the argument that if your company grows past fifty people, you lose your religious freedom."

Obamacare's individual mandate required Hobby Lobby to provide free coverage, including drugs that can cause abortions, in their employer-sponsored health plans or face fines of $36,500 per employee per year. Obamacare would have forced Hobby Lobby to decide between complying with rules that violated their beliefs or drop healthcare coverage for all employees and direct them to the Obamacare exchanges, for which Hobby Lobby would have been fined $2,000 per employee per year.

"People of faith should never be compelled by the federal government to choose between practicing their faith and participating in the market," continued Lankford. "As Americans, we pride ourselves on empowering any individual, regardless of faith, to live the American dream. We should not allow secularism to dictate the free practice of religion.

"Hobby Lobby never argued against the ability for women to access contraceptives; they simply do not believe in being forced by the federal government to cover abortifacients. Today's decision merely protects a closely held corporation like Hobby Lobby from being forced to pay for drugs that could cause abortions that go against their Christian beliefs.

"When Congress passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) in 1993, they rightfully reaffirmed religious liberty for all Americans. The day-to-day operation of a closely held company should not include losing any of their enumerated rights to liberty. In a time when so many things in Washington diminish hope for our nation's future, this ruling is a breath of fresh air," concluded Lankford.

In September 2012, Oklahoma City-based, family-owned Hobby Lobby filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma over the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate to provide four specific potentially life-terminating drugs and medical devices in the healthcare plans offered to employees.

After a lengthy battle in the District Court and Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on November 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a writ of certiorari to Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. (now Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.) Hobby Lobby then presented their oral argument before the Court on March 25, 2014, with a decision issued today.

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