Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning says his office will coordinate a legal challenge against a requirement in the new federal health care law that forces church-affiliated employers to cover birth control for their workers.

Bruning sent a letter to his fellow attorneys general this week asking them to join a lawsuit against the new rule.

The Obama administration announced last month that many church-affiliated hospitals, universities and charitable institutions will have to cover FDA-approved forms of contraceptives and sterilization for their employees.

The decision has upset Roman Catholic leaders and members of other faiths, who argue that it tramples on their religious beliefs.

Administration officials have said they don't want to abridge anyone's religious freedom, but want to strike a balance that gives women access to important preventative care.