AUSTIN—Today, Lt. Governor David Dewhurst issued the following statement after Texas joined several other states challenging the constitutionality of the Obama Administration’s contraception mandate for religious organizations:

"The freedom to practice our faith without interference from the government is one of our most sacred rights, and Texans will not sit silently while the Obama Administration continues to violate our religious liberty with more unconstitutional mandates. I'm proud that Texas is taking a stand to protect the rights of faith-based organizations who serve the sick and less fortunate with far more compassion than the federal government ever will."