By Mark H. Hunter, Regional reporter
BATON ROUGE — Newly elected Gov. John Bel Edwards told about 150 pastors and other church leaders gathered for the Louisiana Family Forum’s Pastor’s Briefing, that he believes in the power of prayer and reiterated his pro-life position.
Edwards, a Democrat and devout Roman Catholic, often asked voters to pray for him during last year’s campaign and repeated that request again on Wednesday morning, following the 52nd annual Governor’s Prayer Breakfast at the Baton Rouge River Center.
“I ask for prayer for me and for the leadership of the state of Louisiana and for our people,” Edwards said. “We have some very real challenges and they span across a wide spectrum of issues … but I am certain we are going to come together and meet those challenges head-on.”
“I would ask you to join me and my administration, not just in prayer, but in action every day so we can do that together,” he said.
He said he briefly reviewed the LFF’s list of upcoming ‘bills to watch’ in the legislature and told the pastors that while he agrees with most of them, “quite honestly we won’t always agree on some of them but I’m always willing to sit down and talk.”
When Sen. Gerald Long, R., Dist. 31, asked him to outline his positions on life issues, Edwards said he’s asked Rep. Hoffman and Sen. Mills, chairs of the Health & Welfare committees, to offer bills patterned after what Gov. Kasich recently signed into law in Ohio, regarding public funding of abortion.
“We would not offer public funding to entities that engage in, what in Ohio is defined as ‘non-therapeutic abortions’ – for those entities that engage in abortion there would not be public funding available,” Edwards said. “Quite honestly, that is important … because in New Orleans, Planned Parenthood is constructing a facility to do abortions. As of right now they don’t do abortions.
“I would like to give them some incentives to not do abortions in Louisiana and by denying any public funding through the Medicaid program if they do that – I think that is the right approach – the approach recently taken in Ohio,” Edwards said.
Other bills, such as one dealing with a waiting period from 24 hours, the current standard, to 72 hours, “I will certainly support that as well,” he said.
“We’re going to do what we can to safeguard life in Louisiana,” Edwards said. “My Catholic Christian faith informs my position on that issue.
“I do not believe that being pro-life means that you are only anti-abortion,” he added. “Many of you will disagree – but my pro-life position informs me about the Medicaid expansion in making sure that the working poor have better access to health care – health care that we’re paying for with our tax dollars.”
“I just want you to know that on the issue of life I am unapologetic,” Edwards said. “I am pro-life but for me pro-life is more than the abortion issue and I would ask you to stand with me on those issues as well.”
Edwards also credited the faith community for its quick response to the recent flooding that has destroyed thousands of homes across the state.
“The great thing is – not just the way in which the faith community responds – but the fact that the faith community doesn’t wait,” Edwards said. “You know the people here, you know what needs to be done and you respond to it in a great fashion. And I want to thank you.”
