Last week, St. Louis Republican John Brunner penned a letter to Archbishop Robert Carlson, St. Louis, supporting his opposition to the Obama administration's rule.
– If any of the three Republicans running against Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill were in the Senate today, they said they would support legislation that would allow employers to opt out of covering mandated health coverage that they find objectionable.
Spokesmen for U.S. Rep. Todd Akin and former St. Louis businessman John Brunner, both running for the Republican nomination to take on McCaskill in November, said they would support Sen. Roy Blunt’s amendment, which the Senate is expected to vote on in the coming days.
In a letter to Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis last week, Brunner said he was “greatly disturbed” by the Obama administration’s decision to require insurance policies, even for religious employers, to include coverage for contraception.
“Protecting conscience rights is an issue that requires support from people of all faiths and denominations,” Brunner wrote. “It is imperative that our elected officials work to protect freedom of religion.”
Akin has signed on to the “Respect for Rights of Conscience Act” in the House, similar to Blunt’s legislation in the Senate.
In a statement last week, former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman, another GOP contender, said she, too, would support the House bill.
For her part, McCaskill said over the weekend that she supports the Obama administrations new mandate, that requires insurance companies to cover contraceptive services for individuals free of charge.
“There is no other way to bring down the number of abortions in this country than available and affordable birth control for women who want it,” she said.
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