Biden Gets Fact-Checked By The Catholic Church; Gets Called Out For Inacurate Statement Regarding HHS Mandate
It appears that the Obama administrations' war against religion marches on as Vice President Biden gets called to task for non-truthful statements he made in regards to the HHS Mandate during last nights debate.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called out Biden for his remarks made in regards to the governments' new mandates that religious organizations provide payment for medical procedures that go against their beliefs.
In a statement, the USCCB said:
Last night, the following statement was made during the Vice Presidential debate regarding the decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to force virtually all employers to include sterilization and contraception, including drugs that may cause abortion, in the health insurance coverage they provide their employees:
"With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear. No religious institution—Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital—none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact."
This is not a fact. The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain "religious employers." That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to "Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital," or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.
During the debate, Biden tried to sell the idea that the Obama administration would allow exemptions to the HHS Mandate to religious organizations. Although this sounds good in theory, Catholic officials point out that the exemption would only apply to the church-proper - not the network of schools, hospitals, and charitable organizations that they manage.
Although the plan most-affects the Catholic Church, other Christian denominations have also rallied to the stand-off, seeing the HHS Mandate as a direct confrontation to their religious freedoms.
Observers were watching the debate carefully as for the first time in history, both Vice Presidential candidates list Catholic as their denomination.