One of eight recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine – a panel of health experts advising the government – has managed to ignite another firestorm in the ongoing clash between the Obama administration and the pro-life movement.

The experts recommend that the government require health insurance companies to cover birth control for women as preventative care – without any co-payments. If adopted, this would mean millions of women would have free access to a wide variety of birth control methods, including emergency contraceptives like Plan B or Ella.

In a strongly worded press release, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, chairman of the U.S. Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities, condemned the government for considering a mandate that would force all Americans to carry and pay for health insurance coverage that violates, quote, “the deeply held moral and religious convictions of many.”

To talk more about the recommendations and what the next steps are for the pro-life movement in light of them, our Matt McClure spoke with Deirdre McQuade, Assistant Director for Policy and Communications of the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities.