(MOBILE, Ala.) - In an attempt to squelch the controversy between the Catholic church and the U.S. Government, President Obama revamped a new birth control policy Friday.
The changes mean religious employers do not have to cover birth control for their employees. Instead, the government will demand insurance companies be directly responsible for providing free contraception.
"Religious liberty will be protected," President Obama said, "and a law that requires free preventive care will not discriminate against women.
"The insurance company, not the hospital, not the charity, will be required to reach out and offer the woman contraceptive care free of charge."
Mobile Archbishop Thomas Rodi was not available about for comment about the changes. The nation's Catholic leaders have said the government's mandate that Catholic employers fund contraception is like forcing them to sin.
"For the government to force us to provide these services goes against our religious conscience," Archbishop Rodi said last week, "and the government should not be coercing it's citizens to act against their religious conscience."
Cardinal Designate Timothy Dolan said the bishops will reserve judgment until details are released.
Mobile Catholic Chip Baugh said the changes are good news.
"It allows employers with any Catholic affiliation to say, you know, we choose not support this," Baugh said.
Attorney and practicing Catholic Clay Rossi said he is still skeptical about the revisions.
"I would call into question whether that's just back-dooring and yielding to political pressure," Rossi said. "I think the root problem is still the attitude that the government wants to force religious groups to do things that they find to be morally questionable or objectionable."
