Professor Mark Rienzi Appeared on Fox News Defending the Little Sisters of the Poor

On Sunday, March 20, 2016, CUA Law Professor and Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Mark Rienzi appeared on a Fox News' America's News HQ panel. Rienzi engaged in a lively back and forth with Elizabeth Wydra, president of the Constitutional Accountability Center about the Department of Health and Human Services contraceptive mandate under the Affordable Care Act.

Rienzi, representing the Little Sisters of the Poor, argued that the government is taking over the Little Sister's health plan yet exempted plans covering 100 million other people. "The government says its exchanges are perfectly good for getting care to all those other people. It really just needs to use them now instead of crushing the Little Sisters and stopping them from caring for the poor and elderly in this country," Rienzi said.

Wydra argued that there is an exception in place for requiring the Little Sisters from providing conception coverage. Rienzi stated that is "untrue" and Wydra's position is that the "government can fine the Little Sisters of the Poor $70 million" for not providing conception through their health care plans. "What is going to happen when you take $70 million away from that ministry and make the Sisters give it to the IRS?" Rienzi asked.

On Wednesday, March 23, 2016 the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Little Sisters of the Poor v. Burwell case.