WI Catholic Musings: Pelosi Dismisses Catholic Bishops as Lobbyists

Friday, February 03, 2012

Pelosi Dismisses Catholic Bishops as Lobbyists

Ohh, Nancy, Nancy, Nancy!

I pray that your eyes are opened, your heart turned back to the Truth, and that you publicly repent of the things you have said as a 'devout Catholic' that are so scandalous!

Lord, have MERCY!
Pelosi Dismisses Catholic Bishops as 'Lobbyists'—For Opposing Obamacare Reg Forcing Catholics to Act Against Faith

By Edwin Mora

December 1, 2011

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) (AP Photo)
(CNSNews.com) -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) on Thursday described America's Roman Catholic bishops as "lobbyists in Washington, D.C." in their efforts to persuade the Department of Health and Human Service to rescind a proposed regulation under the new health-care law that would force Catholics to act against the teachings of their church by compelling them to purchase health-care plans that cover sterilizations and all-FDA approved contraceptives, including abortifacients.
The proposed regulation, scheduled to take effect on Aug. 1, 2012, would require every health-insurance plan in the United States to cover sterilizations and all FDA-approved contraceptives (which include abortifacients) without charging any co-pay. The Catholic Church teaches that sterilization, artificial contraception and abortion are morally wrong and that Catholics cannot be involved in them.
CNSNews.com asked Pelosi at her press briefing on Thursday: "In August, HHS issued a proposed regulation under the new health care law that would require that all health care plans cover sterilizations and all FDA-approved contraceptives. The U.S. Catholic bishops have called the regulation an unprecedented attack on religious freedom and have asked HHS to drop it. Do you agree with the bishops?"
Noting that she is "a devout Catholic," Pelosi said she sometimes disagrees with the Catholic bishops when they act as "lobbyists."
"I don't know if I agree with your characterization of what the HHS put forth," Pelosi said, "but as a mother of five children in six years, as a devout Catholic, I have great respect for our bishops when they are my pastor. As lobbyists in Washington D.C., we have some areas of disagreement.
"Again," she continued, "I don't understand the proposal as you described it. So, I won't be able to answer it. But I do think that it's important for women to have the opportunity to have full reproductive health options available to them and their insurance wherever they receive it. I support the waiver that is there for the churches now. I don't know the exception as expanded by what you're saying there."