TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Roman Catholic bishops in Kansas are sponsoring a Statehouse rally over what their church views as attacks by the federal government on religious freedom.
The rally is set for Friday afternoon, with Gov. Sam Brownback and U.S. Jerry Moran among the scheduled speakers.
The event is part of a nationwide campaign prompted by a mandate announced by President Barack Obama earlier this year requiring most employers to provide health insurance covering birth control. Many Catholics and other religious conservatives oppose the mandate.
The Obama mandate included a religious exemption for houses of worship but not religiously affiliated hospitals, charities, universities and social service agencies. Obama later said he would require insurance companies rather than religious groups to cover the cost, but bishops nationwide view the change as inadequate.
