Impeachment, Economy, Contraception, Health Care, Vaping, Elections, Trump, China

Impeachment

AN Announces $2.5 Million TV and Digital Impeachment Advertising Campaign
Source: American Action Network
January 17, 2020
Moments after the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump, the American Action Network announced it will launch another $2.5 million in television and digital advertising in the districts of 29 Members of Congress who represent districts won by President Trump and who also voted for impeachment. New television ads will run in 9 districts, with digital and social media advertising running across all 29. The ads criticize Members of Congress for voting for impeachment while ignoring issues that matter to the country.

Read more...

Economy

Bank Economists Foresee Continued Economic Growth, Stable Interest Rates
Source: American Bankers Association
January 16, 2020
The U.S. economy will continue to grow, add jobs and support wage gains in 2020 and beyond, according to the latest forecast of the American Bankers Association Economic Advisory Committee.

Read more...

Contraception

ACLU RESPONSE TO SUPREME COURT REVIEW OF CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE CHALLENGE
Source: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
January 17, 2020
TThe Supreme Court announced today it would review Trump v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which is a challenge to the Trump Administration’s rules that allows employers and universities to deny their employees and students insurance coverage for contraception. The rule is blocked by a nationwide injunction.

Read more...

Health Care

Internists Call for Comprehensive Reform of U.S. Health Care
Source: American College of Physicians
January 20, 2020
The American College of Physicians (ACP) today issued a bold call to action challenging the U.S. to implement systematic reform of the health care system, and released an ambitious new vision for a better health care system for all and expansive policy recommendations for how to achieve it. The series of policy papers is published as a supplement in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Read more...

Vaping

American Dental Association Announces Interim Policy on Vaping
Source: American Dental Association
January 16, 2020
“While the long-term oral health effects of vaping are under scientific review, as health professionals we must be prudent in protecting consumers from potentially harmful products,” said ADA President Chad Gehani, D.D.S. “We will continue to advocate for additional research, but we must protect the health of our patients first and foremost. A ban such as this would ensure patient safety while allowing us to explore the impact of vaping products on oral health.”

Read more...

Elections

Expanding access to elections
Source: American Economic Association
January 17, 2020
Political analysts are anticipating huge voter turnout for the 2020 election. And yet, even with a hotly contested race at a time of intense polarization, tens of millions of Americans will never cast a ballot. If 60 percent of eligible voters make it to the polls, it would be the highest turnout for a presidential election in a half century.

Read more...

President Trump

Thank you President Trump
Source: American Family Association
January 16, 2020
I was asked if I wanted to sign a letter thanking the president for his hard work on behalf of the American people and for keeping his promises on so many issues. I said YES!

Read more...

China

U.S.-China Trade Deal Fails to Address Workers’ Rights and Cheating
Source: American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
January 16, 2020
There is precious little in this deal that addresses China’s long-standing denial of basic labor rights. The deal also fails to address the worst aspects of China’s cheating—massive subsidies to its domestic companies and the predatory practices of its state-owned enterprises, which have cost millions of U.S. jobs and gutted our manufacturing base. And it lacks a mechanism for the United States to address the persistent currency misalignment between the dollar and the renminbi. Finally, it is another giveaway to Wall Street and Big Pharma and prioritizes new protections for companies that move to China, creating even more incentives for outsourcing.

Read more...

Kaine Introduces Bill To Ensure Reproductive Care Services For American Servicewomen

by: Senator Tim Kaine (D - VA)

Washington, D.C. - April 10, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen to re-introduce the Access to Contraception for Women Servicemembers and Dependents Act to ensure that all women who receive care though the United States military have access to all forms of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved contraception with no health insurance co-pay. This bill would overhaul current Department of Defense (DoD) policy on contraceptive coverage and family planning counseling by making sure health care provided by the military is in line with current law for civilian populations

“Servicemembers and their families deserve the same access to contraception and family planning resources as other Americans,” said Kaine. “This bill helps ensure that women serving in the military receive comprehensive, affordable health care.”

The Department of Defense provides health care to approximately 1.1 million women of reproductive age, including servicewomen on active duty, in the guard or reserves, and their dependents. Studies have shown that women in the military have a higher rate of unplanned pregnancy (50 percent higher) than the general population. The studies have also shown that servicewomen face unique challenges accessing their preferred method of contraception and family planning counseling, especially when deployed. Additionally, although the Women’s Health Amendment to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) guarantees civilian women coverage of women’s health preventive services, without cost sharing, this policy does not apply to many servicewomen and dependents covered through military health insurance (TRICARE).

The Access to Contraception for Women Service Members and Dependents Act would:

Require that all women who receive health care through the military are treated the same as civilian women, and have access to all forms of FDA-approved contraception and family planning counseling services with no health insurance co-pay;

Require the Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive family planning education program for all servicemembers, ensuring that military families have the information necessary to make informed family planning decisions; and

Enhance access to emergency contraception for survivors of military sexual assault.

The bill has been endorsed by numerous organizations, including: the American Civil Liberties Union, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Catholics for Choice, Center for Reproductive Rights, Guttmacher Institute, Jacobs Institute of Women's Health, MomsRising, NARAL Pro-Choice America, National Council of Jewish Women, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Health Law Program, National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH), National Network of Abortion Funds, National Organization for Women, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women's Health Network, National Women's Law Center, Not Without Black Women, People For the American Way, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Population Connection Action Fund, Power to Decide, Service Women’s Action Network, Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) and URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity. A letter of support for the legislation on behalf of the organizations can be read here.

Text of the legislation can be read in full here.

Court orders end to abortion-pill mandate for six Christian organizations

Alliance Defending Freedom


Denver, CO - December 12, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- A federal district court issued an order Tuesday that permanently prevents the federal government from enforcing the Affordable Care Act’s abortion-pill mandate against six Christian organizations represented by Alliance Defending Freedom. The order also declares that the mandate violates the organizations’ rights protected by the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The previous administration’s mandate forces most employers, regardless of their religious or moral convictions, to provide abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception through their health plans under threat of heavy penalties. The current administration’s Department of Justice abandoned its defense of the flawed mandate.

“Religious organizations have the freedom to peacefully operate according to their beliefs without the threat of punishment by the government. Tuesday’s order fully affirms that freedom and provides permanent protection from the mandate,” said ADF Senior Counsel Gregory S. Baylor.

“These faith-based organizations no longer have to fear being forced to pay fines for simply abiding by the Christian beliefs that they teach and espouse, and they are no longer required to fill out forms authorizing coverage for abortion-inducing drugs, contraception, and sterilization,” Baylor explained. “The government has many other ways to ensure access to these items without forcing people of faith to violate their deepest convictions.”

The six organizations—Association of Christian Schools International, Samaritan Ministries International, Taylor University, Indiana Wesleyan University, Asbury Theological Seminary, and ADF—specifically object to providing coverage for abortifacients.

“First, plaintiffs have demonstrated that requiring them to comply with [the mandate], to the extent such compliance conflicts with plaintiffs’ sincerely held religious beliefs, violates plaintiffs’ rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act…. Second, plaintiffs will suffer irreparable harm unless defendants are enjoined from interfering with plaintiffs’ practice of their religious beliefs.…,” the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado wrote in its order in Association of Christian Schools International v. Azar, adding that “the public interest in the vindication of religious freedom favors the entry of a permanent injunction.”

Other federal district courts have issued similar orders in recent months for Christian organizations in Oklahoma, Indiana, California, Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida. ADF attorneys and allied attorneys continue to litigate numerous other lawsuits against the mandate.

First Liberty Institute Praises New Exemptions to Contraceptive Mandate, DOJ Guidance on Religious Liberty

Source: First Liberty Institute

Plano, TX - October 7, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- The Trump administration announced two significant policy positions that will protect the religious liberty of all Americans—critical protections that will immediately benefit First Liberty Institute’s clients and aid many others.

Thanks to a new interim final rule announced by the Trump administration, clients of First Liberty are now exempt from the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate, which forced businesses, ministries, and other non-profit organizations to reject their religious beliefs and moral convictions or violate the law.

Jeremy Dys, Deputy General Counsel for First Liberty, issued the following statement regarding the HHS interim final rule:

“The new rule is a huge win for business and ministry leaders who, since 2013, have been fighting the government’s disregard for their religious beliefs and moral convictions. Now, they can lead their organizations in good conscience without choosing between their convictions and obeying law.”

In July, First Liberty attorneys held an in-person, on-the-record meeting with officials from the Office of Management and Budget, Department of Labor, and Health and Human Services—agencies tasked with reviewing the rules related to the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate. (Read First Liberty’s letter on behalf of its clients to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney by clicking here.)

The Department of Justice also announced new religious liberty guidelines that build upon critical protections for religious liberty set down in the Clinton administration. The following statement may be attributed to Hiram Sasser, General Counsel for First Liberty:

“Our country has a long history of protecting religious liberty. This guidance is part of a tradition of administrations helping to educate the public and officials regarding the laws that protect religious liberty, such as President Clinton’s pioneering guidance protecting religious liberty in public schools. Further, our nation has a longstanding bi-partisan commitment to religious liberty as evidenced by Senator Ted Kennedy’s passionate advocacy for the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). We welcome President Trump’s commitment to continue this legacy of protecting religious liberty.”

Christian Medical Association and Freedom2Care Applaud Administration's Actions to Protect Conscience in Healthcare

Source: Christian Medical and Dental Association

The nation's largest association of Christian health professionals, the 18,000-member Christian Medical Association applauded the administration's actions to restore conscience freedoms in healthcare. The administration took action concerning the Obamacare contraceptives mandate, insurance premiums used to pay for abortions, and regarding government respect for religious freedom.

"We are thankful to see these vital conscience freedoms restored in healthcare," noted CMA Senior Vice President Gene Rudd, MD, and Ob-Gyn physician. "For millennia, medical ethics have provided for conscientious opposition to abortion by physicians who took up the practice of medicine as a healing art never to be used for the destruction of human life. And until recently, our government reinforced those ethical principles with conscience protections. We are heartened to see our government heading back in the direction of these vital freedoms that protect patients, medicine and freedom in our country."

Jonathan Imbody, director of Freedom2Care, which is affiliated with CMA said, "As Americans who have inherited a nation founded upon freedom of faith, conscience and speech, we can agree that the government must never force individuals to violate their deepest held beliefs on vital and extremely controversial issues such as abortion. When our leaders forget these principles, and take to forcing nuns to participate in matters they consider wholly immoral, the American people realize that our fundamental freedoms are in jeopardy. If the government can take away the rights of one group, then no one is safe from government coercion.

"These actions today by the administration are an important step back in the direction of freedom and respect for one another, and we look forward to more actions in the future, including restoration of the conscience rule for health professionals that President Obama gutted."

Implications of new HHS Rule on Little Sisters of the Poor lawsuit

Source: Becket Fund for Religious Liberty

Washington, D.C. - October 7, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- A new HHS mandate announced moments ago now provides an exemption for religious groups, including the Little Sisters of the Poor and other religious charities, while maintaining the existing federal contraceptive mandate for most employers. The interim rule aligns with the Supreme Court’s ruling last year in Zubik v. Burwell that the government cannot fine the religious groups for following their faith.

There will be a press call at noon EST today to discuss the new rule and what it means for the Little Sisters’ ongoing lawsuit.

The following statement may be attributed to Mark Rienzi, senior counsel at Becket and lead attorney for the Little Sisters of the Poor: “HHS has issued a balanced rule that respects all sides– it keeps the contraceptive mandate in place for most employers and now provides a religious exemption. The Little Sisters still need to get final relief in court, which should be easy now that the government admits it broke the law.”

ALL President Judie Brown Applauds Contraceptive Mandate Rollback

Source: American Life League

American Life League president Judie Brown applauded the Trump administration’s rollback of the Obamacare contraceptive mandate while noting the failed logic of Planned Parenthood’s response to the announcement.

“Birth control is not healthcare, as Cecile Richards likes to pretend, but rather it is a chemical compound which we call nothing more than a recreational drug. If women desire true health of mind and body, they will be chaste before marriage and faithful after marriage,” Brown stated. “We applaud President Trump for his logical thinking and rolling back the mandate.”

First Liberty Institute Attorneys Meet with Executive Agency on Draft HHS Contraceptive Mandate Rule

Washington, D.C. - July 25, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- On Monday, attorneys with First Liberty Institute held an on-the-record meeting with officials from the executive agencies tasked with reviewing rules related to the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate following President Trump's Executive Order from May 4, 2017, entitled, "Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty." During the meeting, First Liberty urged that the draft interim final rule leaked to the press last month and offering broad conscience protections be made final as soon as possible.

Read First Liberty's letter provided to Director Mick Mulvaney on behalf of its clients at Monday's meeting by clicking here.

"Our clients have been litigating against the government's effort to punish business owners and ministry leaders for following their religious beliefs and moral convictions since 2013," said Matthew Kacsmaryk, Deputy General Counsel for First Liberty. "As President Trump recognized in the Rose Garden on May 4, it is time to reaffirm 'America's leadership role as a nation that protects religious freedom for everyone.' That starts by finalizing this draft interim final rule and ending years of litigation."

First Liberty Institute currently represents the Insight for Living Ministries, the Bible-teaching ministry of Pastor Charles R. Swindoll, along with four retirement communities and two colleges associated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church.

In late May, a draft of an interim final rule was leaked the press. The draft rule proposes to reverse guidelines instituted during the Obama administration. Rather than offer narrow exemptions limited primarily to churches and their auxiliaries, under the draft interim final rule, Trump administration officials appear poised to adopt broad exemptions based upon an individual, business, or organization's religious conscience or moral conviction.

First Liberty is a non-profit, public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious liberty for all Americans.