Senate Amendment to Protect Faith-Based Institutions from Intrusive ObamaCare Regulations “Protects Everyone,” Legal Expert Says

Horace Cooper

Washington, D.C. – Calling it a valuable safeguard of religious freedom in America, National Center for Public Policy Research Adjunct Fellow Horace Cooper says an amendment up for a vote in the Senate Thursday is necessary to protect the First Amendment against new regulatory mandates included in Obamacare.

“Religious liberty is an individual right that applies to all Americans.  There should never be a popularity contest or any other restriction

Public Library Faces Lawsuit Over Denial of Access for Religious Meetings

Seaside (Oregon) Public Library. Photo via Facebook

Seaside, OR – Liberty Counsel has  filed a federal lawsuit against the Public Library of Seaside, Oregon, for denying access for an educational meeting that included religious content. The library meeting area is offered free of charge for nonprofit

Federal court rules that the State of Washington cannot force pharmacists to dispense life-ending drugs

Seal of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Via Wikipedia

WASHINGTON STATE — A federal district court ruled Wednesday that the State of Washington cannot force pharmacists to dispense life-ending drugs in violation of their religious beliefs. The holding guts the 2007 Washington Board of Pharmacy rules requiring pharmacies to dispense life-ending drugs such as Plan B and ella. Americans United for Life (AUL) has been a major force in this case, placing AUL front and center in the defense of the First Amendment conscience rights of all Americans.

In the on-going Washington State matter,  AUL submitted

Supreme Court Won’t Hear St. Louis Sign Case. Sign In Question is Safe, but Law Remains Mixed Nationwide

IJ client Jim Roos' Mural. Photo via Institute for Justice

Arlington, Va.— In an action that results in a free speech victory for a St. Louis, Mo., housing activist and citizens of seven Midwestern states—but that leaves lingering uncertainty for the free speech rights of citizens in other parts of the country—the U.S. Supreme Court today denied review of an 8^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that struck down substantial portions of the St. Louis sign code.

According to Michael Bindas, a senior attorney with the Institute for Justice (IJ), which represents Jim Roos, whose conflict with St. Louis over eminent domain sparked the

ACLJ Defending 2nd Grader After School Confiscated His Valentine’s Gifts Because of Message “Jesus Loves You”

Dexter Thielhelm. Photo: ACLJ

Washington, D.C. – What was meant to be a sweet holiday left a bitter taste in the mouth of second grader Dexter Thielhelm of James Madison Elementary School in Sheboygan, Wis. At a Valentine’s Day “friendship party and chocolate celebration,” School officials confiscated Dexter’s gifts of candy-filled water bottles with a typewritten

Catholic Bishops Reject Obama’s Contraceptive/Abortifacient “Accommodation”

By Alan Sexton, Green Mountain Scribes

Cardinal-designate Dolan, President USCCB. Photo: Archdiocese of New York

Washington, D.C. – The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) late Friday rejected President Barack Obama’s “accommodation” to his plans of forcing  religious organizations to provide free contraceptive and abortifacient coverage announced by Obama in a press conference earlier on Friday.

Additionally, the Bishops called for the “rescission of the mandate altogether”, and promised to “continue—with no less vigor, no less sense of urgency—our efforts to correct this problem through the other two branches of government.”

Following is the text of the full statement issued later

Obama Compromise Infringement of the First Amendment Guarantee of Freedom of Religion is Still Unconstitutional, Experts Say

Officials at the National Center for Public Policy Research are responding today to President Obama’s “compromise” infringement of the First Amendment guarantee of Freedom of Religion in the matter of the HHS “free” contraception/early abortifacient mandate.

Federal Judge Denies City’s Request to Dismiss Civil Rights Claims Brought by Christians

Robert J. Muise, Esq., AFLC

Detroit, MI —  A U.S. District Court Judge in Detroit, Michigan denied the City of Dearborn’s request to dismiss the civil rights claims brought by several Christian missionaries arising out of their arrests by City police officers in 2010.  The Christians were arrested by City police officers while preaching to Muslims at the City’s Arab Festival.  The Christians spent the night in jail and were then charged and tried

ACLJ Urges Appeals Court to Protect NYC Crisis Pregnancy Centers by Upholding Earlier Decision that Blocks Unconstitutional Law

CeCe Heil is a Senior Counsel for the ACLJ

Washington, DC – The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) on Monday urged a federal appeals court to uphold an earlier decision that blocked the enforcement of New York City’s recently approved ordinance targeting crisis pregnancy centers. In July, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the enactment of the measure, protecting the First Amendment rights of the crisis pregnancy centers. The ACLJ, which filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new ordinance, today filed its brief at an appeals court in response to New York City’s

Senator Marco Rubio Introduces Bill Protecting Religious Organizations from ObamaCare

Senator Marco Robio (R-FL)

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced a bill called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2012 that will expand the nearly nonexistent exemption for religious employers in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare. As it now stands, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is forcing religious employers to pay for contraceptives, sterilization services, and abortion-inducing drugs for their employees.

In a failed attempt to respond to complaints, the DHHS has given religious organizations one year to adapt to the