Although he voted in support of an amendment to the Senate transportation bill that would give employers the option to not offer health plans that cover birth control, Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey told The Daily Caller he has been a “strong supporter” of federal funding for contraceptives.
“Well, I supported [the amendment], but I also think the sides need to come together and work out an agreement, because there is a way that you can bring the sides together to make sure that number one, that you respect those religiously affiliated institutions in their mission and at the same time make sure that every employee of those same institutions get the coverage that they need — not just for a broad array of health care services, but including contraception,” Sen. Casey, a Catholic, told TheDC at an event Wednesday night where Comcast launched new minority-owned independent networks.
“I’ve been a strong supporter of contraception, also the funding for it, and I think there’s a way to do that, but unfortunately, you had a collision and a battle in Congress, but I still think that it can still be worked out. It will take some time but it can be worked out.”
Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt sponsored the amendment, which was defeated in the Senate.
TheDC also asked Casey if he regrets voting for the health care law, which included the provision requiring religious institutions to offer health plans that cover contraception.
“Well, what I think a lot of people want us to do when we make decisions like this is to try to figure out a way, is there a pathway where you can make sure that women across the board and women who work in those institutions, can still get the same kind of health care coverage, get the same kind of opportunities to get coverage for family planning or any other medical or health care services,” Casey said.
“I think we can get there, but it’s going to require people sitting down and not having a political debate but sitting down working on what will likely be a regulatory process as opposed to a legislative or statutory process.”