Helena delegation should stand for life, liberty

The 2011 session in Helena no more than ended and the 2012 campaign season was in full swing. Candidates have hit the ground running. The economy continues to be the number one issue across the nation. The lines can sometimes a get a little blurry as you try to sort out the difference between government's role in growing the economy vs. the government getting out of the way and allowing free enterprise to work at its best.

There is one issue, however, that has been brought once again to the forefront, and in this case, there is no room for "vagueness." President Obama made it crystal clear how he feels about religious convictions in America. On Jan. 20 — three days before the annual March for Life — the Obama administration announced its final decision that Catholic universities, hospitals and charities will be compelled to pay for insurance that covers sterilization, contraceptives and abortions. Catholic Bishop David A. Zubik of Philidephia argues that the Obama administration "has just told the Catholics of the United States, 'to hell with you!'" At the very least, this administration has insisted that Notre Dame and St. Mary's Hospital be forced to pay for the privilege of violating their convictions.

In the 2011 session, one of the bills the governor vetoed was the bill I introduced that would allow you, the taxpayer, to make sure your money was not being used for abortions under Obamacare. This bill would do nothing to overturn Roe v. Wade; it was very limited in scope. I learned early, you had better know who you can trust in Helena when it comes to delicate issues like this. When I read the account of the occasion of Mother Teresa speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast, and she held out her frail arms and said, "bring the babies to me, bring the babies to me," I knew I could trust the heart of the Catholic Church when it came to right-to-life issues. While in Helena, I leaned heavily on Rebecca Maste, legal counsel for Montana Catholic Conference. She spent countless hours helping draft this bill and assured me of its constitutionality. (More than 20 other states had approved similar bills) This did not prevent the bill from escaping the hot iron of the governor. I know there are some who hide behind the rhetoric "we have too much religion in Helena," but I received tremendous support from Senate District 17, Catholic and Protestant, young and old. I especially appreciated the letters I received from teenagers concerning the rights of the unborn. Little did I know the implications of that bill on a national level.

All 181 U.S. Catholic bishops have opposed Obama's mandate. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius's congressional testimony made clear that the Obama administration is dug in permanently to enforce the regulation that religiously affiliated institutions must offer their employees health insurance that includes abortion drugs, sterilization and contraceptives. President Obama led the charge to table the amendment by Sen. Roy Blunt to allow employers to opt out of providing health care coverage that violates their conscience rights. The Blunt amendment, it should be noted, wouldn't deny any woman access to contraceptives or even abortifacients; it would just exempt employers from being forced to subsidize them. The implications of Obama's power-grab extend far beyond Catholicism. The astounding ambition of this federal precedent will soon be apparent to every religious institution.

President Obama has acted, the issue of "Sanctity of Life" will not go away. His attack on the Catholic Church (and all other religious groups for that matter) demonstrates the intensity of the challenges before us. The voters of Hill and Blaine counties will be given the opportunity this fall to send a senator and two representatives to Helena who will stand for Religious Freedom. While the Supreme Court will soon decide the future of Obamacare, the voters of this area need to send a delegation to Helena who speak as one voice, that we are still a country that believes in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

(Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, is a former state senator from District 17, northern Hill and Blaine counties. He now lives and works in Nebraska.)