Addressing an issue that won't go away, the Obama administration on Sunday defended its recent policy changes to a preventive-services rule that includes contraceptive services, despite strong opposition to the revision from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“I'm not going to speak to the motives of any of the parties,” White House Chief of Staff Jacob Lew told host Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday. “I do think it's quite significant that a range of Catholic organizations has embraced this. We didn't expect to get the universal support of the bishops or all Catholics,” he continued. “I think that what we have here is a policy that brings together two very important principles in a way that's true to the American tradition and that is what the president is trying to do.” Lew said those principles are access to healthcare and protecting religious liberties.

On Friday, President Barack Obama announced changes to HHS' preventive services rule that said religious hospitals and charities would not have to offer or pay for contraceptive services in their employee health plans if those institutions had a religious objection. Instead, insurance companies will have to offer and pay for those services. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops later released a statement saying it did not support the policy change.

Lew told Fox's Chris Wallace he could not comment on the differences within the Catholic church, but “I would point to the statement put out by the Catholic Health Association, which knows a fair amount about what it requires to provide healthcare in this country. They thought this was a very good solution,” he continued. “They understand what the policy is and they embraced it.”