The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has often clashed with the Obama administration, particularly over the Affordable Care Act’s coverage of birth control.
Peoria Bishop Daniel Jenky is hopeful Donald Trump’s administration will protect Catholic institutions from offering birth control insurance coverage to employees and services to patients. Jenky says he doesn’t agree with critics who say this protection restricts women’s access to birth control:
“I occasionally walk through Walgreens, and I don’t think there’s anybody in this country who is prevented from practicing what we call ‘artificial birth control,'" Jenky said. "I think that’s a canard, a fancy word for it’s something invented.”
A majority of Catholics voted for Trump in the presidential election. But a 2016 Pew Researchstudy shows a majority -- 65 percent -- of Catholics believe employers should be required to provide contraception in their employee’s health care plans.