Pelosi asked former Notre Dame president to help sway lawmaker on health care

Los Angeles, Calif., Mar 30, 2010 / 06:50 pm (EWTN News)

In the hours leading up the health care vote on March 23, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, former president of the University of Notre Dame, to help her sway an undecided House vote in favor of the health care bill.

According the to Los Angeles Times, Speaker Pelosi wanted Fr. Hesburgh to assist her in convincing Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), who was reportedly wavering on the abortion funding language in the bill, to vote yes on health care reform.

Though details of the conversation between the speaker and Fr. Hesburgh were not disclosed, Rep. Donnelly ultimately voted in favor of the health care bill on March 23.

In a March 23 statement, Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, denounced the health care bill as deficient for its use of federal funding for abortion and its lack of conscience protections and care for immigrants.