Catholic Bishops fact check Biden’s ‘inaccurate statement of fact on HHS mandate'

During the Vice Presidential debate, VP Joe Biden claimed that Obamacare's HHS mandate does not infringe on religious liberty.

As Paul Ryan pointed out, why did 191 U.S. Catholic bishops oppose the mandate if it didn't trample their freedom of religion?

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) promptly issued a statement correcting Biden's "inaccurate statement of fact." 

Last night, the following statement was made during the Vice Presidential debate regarding the decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to force virtually all employers to include sterilization and contraception, including drugs that may cause abortion, in the health insurance coverage they provide their employees:

"With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear. No religious institution—Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital—none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact."

This is not a fact. The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain "religious employers." That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to "Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital," or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.

... they will still be forced to provide their employees with health coverage, and that coverage will still have to include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients. They will have to pay for these things, because the premiums that the organizations (and their employees) are required to pay will still be applied, along with other funds, to cover the cost of these drugs and surgeries.

USCCB continues to urge HHS, in the strongest possible terms, actually to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom imposed by the mandate.

Americans cling to their religious rights while Biden clings to his "malarkey" and Obama clings to Big Bird.