A federal judge in Philadelphia has ordered the Trump administration to halt their enforcement of new rules that would significantly impair women’s access to free or discounted birth control.
Judge Wendy Beetlestone was responsible for this victory for women, issuing the injunction to temporarily stop the government from enforcing new policy changes to current health care laws.
Former President Obama’s health care law required most companies (there are exemptions for religious organizations) to cover birth control at no additional cost. The Trump administration wants to change the law so that additional categories of employers would be able to opt out of providing free contraception, simply by claiming religious or moral objections.
“This is just the first step, but today is a critical victory for millions of women and families and for the rule of law,” says Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who believes that the president broke the law in order to undermine women’s health. He believes the temporary injunction will protect women.
The Trump administration argues that the policy change would protect “a narrow class of sincere religious and moral objectors from being forced to facilitate practices that conflict with their beliefs.”
Several states sued the Trump administration after they issued the policy changes, including California, Washington, and Massachusetts.
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