washington/new york president donald trump administration friday undermine requirements obamacare law employers provide insurance cover women birth control keep campaign pledge please conservative christian supporters new rule department health human service let businesses non-profit organizations lodge religious moral objections obtain exemption law mandate employers provide contraceptives coverage health insurance co-payment conservative christian activists congressional republicans praise move reproductive right advocate democrats criticize unclear many employers would actually drop birth control coverage religious ground significant doubt many big ones would within hours american civil liberties union sue administration federal court san francisco try halt rule claim among things violate u.s. constitution requirement separation church state state massachusetts california also sue democratic state attorneys general another 16 state threaten legal action landmark day religious liberty obama administration constitutional right seriously erode republican house representatives speaker paul ryan say trump administration take direct aim birth control coverage 62 million women plan parenthood federation america president cecile richards say rule place employer could decide employees long health insurance coverage birth control richards add trump criticize birth control mandate last year election campaign strong support conservative christian voters republican president sign executive order may ask rule would allow faith-based group deny insurance coverage service oppose religious ground contraception mandate implement part 2010 affordable care act democratic former president barack obama signature legislative achievement trump republicans congress campaign obamacare law know could get enough vote repeal promise reason move administration say among things mandate birth control coverage could foster risky sexual behavior among teens young adults overturn obama administration view birth control requirement necessary meet government compel interest protect women health administration contempt women reach new low appal decision top house democrat nancy pelosi say administration broaden narrow exist religious exemptions include exception basis moral conviction non-profit for-profit company federal rule implement obamacare require employers provide health insurance cover birth control religious house worship exempt private businesses sue regard right circumvent coverage supreme court rule 2014 could object religious ground case western reserve university school law professor jonathan adler say unlikely publicly trade company would seek exemptions would publicly trade company risk alienate potential shareholders take step adler say ellen kelsay chief strategy officer national business group health lobby group large company say large employers provide coverage birth control prior mandate expect continue irrespective exemptions may become available accord one estimate percent nonprofit group offer health benefit object contraceptives coverage hhs issue balance rule respect side keep contraceptive mandate place employers provide religious exemption say mark rienzi one lawyers little sisters poor order roman catholic nuns run care home elderly challenge mandate court little sisters christian nonprofit employers object 2013 compromise offer obama administration allow entities oppose provide contraception insurance coverage comply law without actually pay require coverage justice department release two memos serve government legal basis justify rule lay framework apply religious liberty issue legal opinions federal rule grant make another decision popular trump evangelical supporters justice department wednesday reverse federal policy declare federal law ban sex discrimination workplace protect transgender employees trump also remove protections transgender students move ban transgender people military trump support among evangelical voters major force 2016 election victory remain strong slip line overall approval rat accord recent reuters/ipsos poll result trump undermine u.s. birth control coverage requirement