White House birth control move blasted by John Boehner

Speaker John Boehner vowed Wednesday to pursue “all possible options” to reverse an Obama administration edict requiring faith-based employers to provide contraceptive coverage.

In a rare floor speech, the Ohio Republican, who is Catholic and was one of 12 children, called the contraceptives rule an “unambiguous attack on religious freedom in our country” and accused the Obama administration of violating the First Amendment’s freedom of religion.

“If the president does not reverse the … attack on religious freedom, then the Congress, acting on behalf of the American people and the Constitution we are sworn to uphold and defend, must,” Boehner said.

Boehner said the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), will press forward with potential legislative remedies to the rule.