Two rallies in Jefferson City today each called for the repeal of the 2010 Affordable Care Act and for employers to have the right to not provide coverage for birth control.
Several hundred people attended the rally held at the State Capitol, led by several religious leaders. Maggie Karner with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod told the crowd that President Obama’s birth control mandate is an attack on religious freedom.
“This debate is simply about us being forced to pay for products and services that are contrary to our religious beliefs,” said Karner. “And we cannot be expected to check our faith at the door.”
A similar rally featuring Tea Party activists was held simultaneously at a downtown hotel.
Meanwhile, legislation that would bar mandatory coverage for birth control, abortion and sterilization has received first-round approval in the Missouri Senate. Democrats spent most of the day blocking the bill,then ended their filibuster shortly before 4pm.
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