Press Release

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. spoke out in support of the Not My Boss' Business bill Thursday. The bill would address the Supreme Court's misguided decision in Hobby Lobby v. Burwell.

"I look at this not as a member of Congress, but as a doctor," said Bera. "I took an oath to put my patients first and my job is to sit with my patient, answer her questions, talk about the risks and benefits of the various options available, and then to empower her to make the decision that best fits her life. That's why I'm proud to support the Not My Boss' Business Act, which ensures that employers can't pick and choose what health services women can receive. Health care decisions should be made between a patient and her doctor, not her boss."

Watch Bera's full remarks: https://youtu.be/gc_SaFBvByU

The legislation, formally known as the Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act of 2014 would explicitly prohibit for-profit employers that maintain a group health plan for its employees from using religious beliefs to deny employees coverage of contraception or any other vital health service required by federal law.

Ninety-nine percent of sexually-active women use birth control at least once in their lifetimes, and the Centers for Disease Control declared it one of the Ten Great Public Health Achievements of the 20th Century. While the most common reason women use contraception is to prevent pregnancy, 58 percent of oral contraceptive users cite non-contraceptive health benefits as reasons for using the pill. Fourteen percent of birth control pill users, more than 1,500,000 women, rely on the birth control pills for only non-contraceptive purposes.

House Republicans blocked the bringing the bill up for consideration twice this week. Senate Republicans also blocked companion legislation introduced by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Mark Udall (D-CO) earlier this week.

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. represents Sacramento County. Born and raised in California, Bera is a physician and the only Indian American currently serving in Congress. He's fighting to rebuild an economy that works for middle class families and to reduce our country's debt in a responsible way. One of Bera's first acts in Congress was to help lead the effort to pass the No Budget No Pay Act, which says if members of Congress don't pass a budget, they don't get paid. As a leader of the No Labels' Problem Solvers, he's working with people from both parties to find bipartisan solutions to our nation's challenges. He and his wife Janine live in Elk Grove with their daughter Sydra. For more updates on Rep. Bera follow @RepBera on Twitter, like Congressman Bera on Facebook, or visit https://www.bera.house.gov.