WH: Ruling ‘jeopardizes the health of women’

The Supreme Court’s ruling against the birth control mandate “jeopardizes the health of women,” the White House said Monday.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said women should be able to “make personal health decisions for themselves,” and called contraception “vital” to the health and well-being of women.

{mosads}”Today’s decision jeopardizes the health of women that are employed by these companies,” Earnest said.

“We will, of course, respect the Supreme Court ruling,” he added.

The Supreme Court dealt a blow to President Obama’s signature healthcare law Monday by ruling that closely held companies cannot be required offer their employees birth control if they object on religious grounds, as had been required under ObamaCare.

The decision in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby was the high court’s first judgment on the healthcare law since it upheld ObamaCare’s individual mandate two years ago.

Republicans cheered the ruling as a victory for religious freedom.

“The decision affirms that Americans, contrary to what the Obama Administration attempted to impose, have a right to live and work in accordance to their conscience and can’t be forced to surrender their religious freedom once they open a business,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said in a statement.