Home About Chat Users Issues Party Candidates Polling Firms Media News Polls Calendar Key Races United States President Senate House Governors International

New User Account
"A comprehensive, collaborative elections resource." 
Email: Password:

  Judge rejects Liberty University's health care reform challenge
NEWS DETAILS
Parent(s) Issue 
ContributorBrandonius Maximus 
Last EditedBrandonius Maximus  Dec 01, 2010 09:58am
Logged 0
CategoryLegal Ruling
AuthorJENNIFER HABERKORN
News DateWednesday, December 1, 2010 03:00:00 PM UTC0:0
DescriptionA federal judge in Virginia threw out a case brought by Liberty University that claimed the health care reform law is unconstitutional and would allow the religious institution’s insurance payments to cover abortions.

The White House quickly trumpeted the suit’s dismissal as a sign that the health care law will survive the many legal challenges it faces.

“The judge’s ruling today only underscores the importance of the law’s individual responsibility provision,” Stephanie Cutter, assistant for special projects, wrote in a White House blog post Tuesday.

Liberty University, a Christian university in Lynchburg, Va., had argued that the legislation’s requirement that nearly all Americans purchase insurance coverage and its incentives for large employers to cover employees would allow the university’s money to cover abortions, violating the religious values of the institution.

The court flatly rejected that argument.

“The Act explicitly states that no plan is required to cover any form of abortion services,” Judge Norman K. Moon, of the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Virginia, wrote in his order Monday. Moon was nominated to the court by President Bill Clinton and confirmed in 1997.

Abortion became one of the lynchpin issues during the health care reform debate. A group of pro-life House Democrats threatened to oppose the law, a threat appeased when President Obama signed an executive order stating that no federal funds would cover abortions.
Share
ArticleRead Full Article

NEWS
Date Category Headline Article Contributor

DISCUSSION