Today: Little Sisters of the Poor back in court Third Circuit to decide if Attorney General Shapiro can take away nuns’ protection from HHS mandate

WASHINGTON – The Little Sisters of the Poor will be in court this morning to ask for protection from a lawsuit by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania threatening their religious ministry. On May 21, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit will hear arguments in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Trump to decide if Attorney General Josh Shapiro can threaten the Sisters’ hard-won religious exemption from the HHS mandate, which was finalized last year following a five-year legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court. A new HHS rule protects religious non-profits, including the Little Sisters, from providing services such as the week-after pill in their health care plans. Yet in two separate lawsuits, Pennsylvania and California are suing the federal government to take those rights away, forcing the Little Sisters back to court to protect their vital ministry of caring for the elderly poor.

What:
Oral Argument in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Trump

Who:
Becket President Mark Rienzi

When:
Today at 10:00 a.m. EST

Where:
James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse
601 Market St. Philadelphia, PA 19106

Becket President Mark Rienzi will be available for comment immediately following the hearing. Join us for a statement live on Twitter @becketlaw.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.