AG Holder: Justice Dept. to Defend Contraception Mandate

Attorney General Eric Holder defended the Obama administration's contraception mandate in testimony before Congress on Tuesday.

"To the extent that that action is challenged in court, I would expect that the Justice Department would defend what I guess is in place -- would be that compromise," Holder told the House Appropriations subcommittee, Fox News reported.

The "compromise" Holder cited was announced by President Obama on Feb. 10, after a firestorm of criticism from religious groups prompted the revision of a rule announced in January by the Department of Health and Human Services. Under the new rules, employers must provide female contraception as part of healthcare plans, with the cost incurred by the insurer if a given employer — such as a Catholic-affiliated charity, hospital, or school — objects on religious grounds.