U. S. Senate upholds HHS attack on religious liberty and the Catholic Church, with the support of 13 Catholics

The 13 Catholic Senators who voted against allowing Catholic organizations conscience rights
by John Jalsevac
Thu Mar 01, 2012

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Today, the U.S. Senate, by a vote of 51 - 48, defeated the effort led by Senator Roy Blunt (Missouri) to pass the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act as an amendment to pending legislation. Thirteen Catholic Senators joined the majority.

The amendment, offered by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-MO, rolled back Barack Obama’s invasive Health and Human Services mandate that employers insure contraceptives, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs with no co-pay. While the health care reform law exempts churches, it would force religious institutions such as hospitals and universities to underwrite products that violate their deeply held religious beliefs.

“By consenting to the disastrous HHS mandate, the U.S. Senate has taken the unprecedented step to deny our religious liberties instead of defending the Constitution,” said Matt Smith, president of Catholic Advocate. “It is disappointing to witness a group of senators misled on this issue at the expense of one of our key founding principles.”

The following is a list of how the 24 Catholic Senators voted on the Blunt amendment:

Senator Mark Begich (Alaska, D) - Opposed
Senator Lisa Murkowski (Alaska, R) - Supported
Senator Marco Rubio (Florida, R) - Supported
Senator Tom Harkin (Iowa, D) - Opposed
Senator James Risch (Idaho, R) - Supported
Senator Richard Durbin (Illinois, D) - Opposed
Senator Mary Landrieu (Louisiana, D) - Opposed
Senator David Vitter (Louisiana, R) - Supported
Senator John Kerry (Massachusetts, D) - Opposed
Senator Barbara Mikulski (Maryland, D) - Opposed
Senator Susan Collins (Maine, R) - Supported
Senator Claire McCaskill (Missouri, D) - Opposed
Senator John Hoeven (North Dakota, R) - Supported
Senator Mike Johanns (Nebraska, R) - Supported
Senator Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire, R) - Supported
Senator Robert Menendez (New Jersey, D) - Opposed
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (New York, D) - Opposed
Senator Bob Casey Jr. (Pennsylvania, D) - Supported
Senator Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania, R) - Supported
Senator Jack Reed (Rhode Island, D) - Opposed
Senator Pat Leahy (Vermont, D) - Opposed
Senator Maria Cantwell (Washington, D) - Opposed
Senator Patty Murray (Washington, D) - Opposed
Senator Joe Manchin III (West Virginia, D) - Supported

“Faithful Catholics should take the opportunity to thank those Senators supporting our religious liberties,” added Smith. “It is our duty as laity to hold those who did not support our values accountable and vote our conscience when the time comes.”

>>>The ones in bold are professed Catholic U.S. Senators and they voted against the Catholic Church.  For this specific ammendment, the U.S. Bishops asked Catholics to support the Blunt ammendment.  These politicians clearly put politics over the Church.