Religious Leaders Urge Government To Expand Conscience Protections

Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, left, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, joins other religious leaders at a news conference regarding the Health and Human Services contraceptive mandate July 2 at the National Press Club in Washington. A diverse group of religious leaders urged the U.S. government to "expand conscience protections" in the mandate that requires almost all employers to provide coverage of contraceptives, sterilization and some abortion-inducing d rugs free of charge.