pope too liberal for the House?

Pope Francis may be "too liberal" to gain widespread Republican support in the face of House legislation that seeks to honor him. 

The Hill reported that a resolution written by Catholic Reps. Pete King, R-N.Y., and John Larson, D-Conn., which seeks to congratulate Francis on his March 2013 election, has been stalled in the House Foreign Affairs Committee since December. On Friday, Larson sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio and a fellow Catholic, requesting a vote. 

Only 19 of the 221 co-sponsors of the bill are Republicans, which is strange given the GOP's longtime positioning as the party of faith. One congressional Republican who wished to remain anonymous told The Hill that perhaps the lack of support stemmed from a view that the new Pope is "too liberal." 

The source speculated that many Republicans are uncomfortable with the Pope "sounding like Obama." 

"He actually used the term 'trickle-down economics,'" said the source, "which is politically charged." 

The Huffington Post noted that among Pope Francis' more liberal viewpoints are his seeming support for same-sex civil unions (but not marriage) in March, and his unwavering support for extensive redistribution of wealth. 

In Larson's letter to Boehner asking for a vote on the legislation, he reminded the Speaker of his own invitation to address Congress made in March, and suggested that failure to congratulate the new Pope on his office would be unprecedented. 

"To my knowledge this would be an historic first. I ask that you take a look at a bipartisan resolution introduced by Representative Peter King and myself, acknowledging the first Pope from the Americas . . . it is my sincere hope that you will consider this resolution for the suspension calendar for a vote," Larson wrote in the letter.