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SOUTH BEND The University of Notre Dame, facing a difficult decision about whether to invite President Donald Trump to be its commencement speaker, will instead host Vice President Mike Pence at the May 21 graduation ceremony.

Pence, the former Indiana governor, will be the first vice president of the United States to deliver the commencement address. He will also receive an honorary degree.

"It is fitting that in the 175th year of our founding on Indiana soil that Notre Dame recognize a native son who served our state and now the nation with quiet earnestness, moral conviction and a dedication to the common good characteristic of true statesmen," the Rev. John I. Jenkins, Notre Dame's president, said in a written statement. "With his own brand of reserved dignity, Mike Pence instilled confidence on the state level then, and on the world stage now. We are proud to welcome him to represent the new administration."

Pence said in a press release that he is humbled by Notre Dame's invitation.

The young adults in the Class of 2017 will leave school with the charge and opportunity to make new discoveries and assume leadership roles that will make a profound impact benefiting the lives of millions of people," Pence said. "The hopes of their parents and our country go with them as they enter a world filled with optimism for the future.

The invitation to Pence helps Notre Dame side-step a potential controversy over a Trump appearance.

In December, news that Jenkins was considering inviting Trump to be the commencement speaker prompted more than 2,700 students, employees and alumni to sign a petition urging the university not to invite him. Jenkins said at the time that he was worried about the distractions a Trump appearance could cause.

"I continue to believe it is important to recognize and listen to our country's elected leader, whatever their views," Jenkins told The Tribune in December. "At the same time, I do not want the surrounding controversy to distract from the central purpose of commencement a joyful celebration of our graduates and their families."

Jenkins faced a wave of criticism when he invited President Barack Obama as the commencement speaker and presented him with an honorary degree in 2009. Much of the criticism focused on Obama's support for abortion rights.

Notre Dame has not revealed whether Jenkins invited Trump and the president declined, or whether Jenkins opted to invite Pence instead.

The Notre Dame College Democrats on Thursday expressed dismay about the Pence invitation, saying the Trump administration has "shown a basic disregard for the fundamental rights of so many communities."

The fact that it is Pence doesnt really change much, said Andrew Gallo, president of the ND College Democrats. In Father Jenkins statement, he said that he was going to welcome the vice president as a (representative) of the administration. Its is pretty clear to us that he is standing with the administration as a whole.

The invitation, coupled with Jenkins recent decision to not declare Notre Dame a sanctuary campus for immigrant students, is a pretty clear signal of where Jenkins policies lie," he added.

The Notre Dame College Republicans declined a Tribune request to comment.

Notre Dame senior Liz Hynes isn't pleased with the selection of Pence as speaker.

She cited his slow response as governor to the spread of HIV among intravenous drug users in rural Scott County. Pence was opposed to needle exchanges on the grounds such programs encouraged drug abuse, though he later signed an emergency order allowing such a program.

"He came at it from a position of moral superiority," rather than immediately taking steps to attack the problem, she said.

Junior Michael Krebs, a member of the universitys Right to Life Club, said he understands the difficult position Jenkins was in and respects his decision.

Youre never going to find a speaker who is going to make everyone happy, Krebs said. Theres always going to be opinions on either sideI think it is a valiant effort at compromising and trying to foster conversation.

Jason Ruiz, an American studies professor at Notre Dame, believes Pence's invitation is an attempt to be conciliatory in a reaction to student activists opposing Trump as a possible speaker.

The Pence visit, however, opens a new set of concerns related to his tenure as governor, including the religious freedom act and his stance on Syrian refugees.

"I'm sure that Pence will draw protests," said Ruiz, who doesn't plan to attend the main commencement ceremony this year.

Four U.S. presidents Obama, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter have given the Notre Dame commencement address during their first year in office. Two others, Dwight Eisenhower and George H.W. Bush, also served as Notre Dame commencement speakers while in office.

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Notre Dame invites Mike Pence to speak at graduation, avoiding Trump controversy - South Bend Tribune

SPRINGDALE, Ohio -- Vice President Mike Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price touted their plans for healthcare reform during a visit to a Tri-State business Thursday.

Speaking atFrame USAin Springdale, Pence said President Donald Trump's administration was working on plans for a healthcare system "built on a foundation of freedom and personal responsibility."

While the plans are still in the works, Pence said the future law would lower the cost of health insurance. He reiterated Trump's pledge to repeal the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare.

"The Obamacare nightmare is about to be over," Pence said.

Tying the issue to his hosts, Pence said the lower-cost healthcare system would allow small businesses like Frame USA to create more jobs.

"When small business is strong, America is strong," Pence said.

Pence's speech followed a tour of Frame USA's facility. The company makes frames for posters, pictures and artwork. The company was founded in 1982 in Maryland as a small art and print retailer and expanded to southwest Ohio. Frame USA moved its manufacturing, distribution and other operations to Springdale in 1990, according to its website.

Progress Ohio announced a protest to "show Pence we are pro-women, pro-healthcare, pro-LGBTQ Rights" will gather at 10 a.m. at the corner of Northland Boulevard and West Kemper Road. Expect traffic delays throughout the morning in the area.

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Vice President Mike Pence talks about healthcare in Springdale - WCPO

Vice President Pence stressed in an interview early Wednesday that Mexico will pay for President Trump's proposed border wall.

"One of the things people saw last night is that the candidate Donald TrumpDonald TrumpSenate Dem calls for Treasury probe into Trump business ties to Russia Trump Jr. likely paid K for event hosted by Russian allies: report MSNBC president: Ratings on rise because we give smartest coverage out there MORE is the President Donald Trump, and he spoke about those priorities," Pence said during an interview with "Good Morning America" host George Stephanopoulos. "We're going to build a wall. We're going to enforce the laws of this country."

"[Trump] didn't say Mexico is going to pay for [the wall]," Stephanopoulos interjected.

As a presidential candidate, Trump insisted that he would make Mexico pay for the massive wall. But the country's president, Enrique Pea Nieto, has firmly rejected that notion, saying it was "against our dignity as Mexicans."

Trump signed an executive order last month authorizing construction of the wall, but that order does not cover the cost of the wall.

Nevertheless, Pence insisted that Trump would ultimately keep his campaign promises, arguing that his agenda had the backing of the American people.

"The agenda that a majority of Americans believe is the right agenda for the country is exactly the agenda that President Trump is advancing," he said.

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Mike Pence: Mexico will pay for border wall - The Hill

Mike Pence's comments came less than an hour before news broke that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had, as a senator, met multiple times with Russias ambassador to the United States. | Getty

Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday night that he has no plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin but that the White House will continue to seek areas of cooperation with Russia.

Appearing on Fox News The OReilly Factor, Pence said there are no plans on my part to meet with Putin. He was responding to a suggestion by host Bill OReilly that he do so. Pence added that the White Houses posture toward Russia had not changed.

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We made a strong commitment to NATO. We also made it very clear that two things are true: Were going to hold Russia accountable for ending violence in eastern Ukraine, Pence said. But in the same breath, our president continues to believe that if there is a way that we can find common ground with Russia, particularly in the fight against ISIS, hes determined to pursue that.

Pence's comments came less than an hour before news broke that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had, as a senator, met multiple times with Russias ambassador to the United States in the months before the 2016 election, meetings that he did not disclose under oath during confirmation hearings to take control of the Justice Department.

News of Sessions previously unknown meetings with the Russian ambassador has further inflamed allegations that President Donald Trumps campaign was in regular contact with the Kremlin, which actively sought to aid his candidacy by hacking into and then leaking the personal emails of prominent Democrats.

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Pence: I have no plans to meet with Putin - Politico

The White House has repeatedly labeled the mission as a success. | Getty

A raid conducted by Navy SEALs last month in Yemen against an offshoot of the terrorist group Al Qaeda yielded significant intelligence, Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday morning, disputing reports that the operation had proven fruitless.

The raid, which left one SEAL and dozens of civilians dead, has proven increasingly controversial for Trump, who in a Fox News interview broadcast Tuesday morning seemingly blamed the military for the U.S. service members death. Asked about the operation, Trump told Fox & Friends that the mission was started before I got here and said of his generals that they lost Ryan, referring to slain SEAL Ryan Owens.

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In perhaps the most powerful moment of the presidents hour-long address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, Trump spoke warmly of Owens and introduced his widow, seated in the gallery. She received an extended standing ovation, after which Trump said Ryan is looking down right now, you know that, and hes very happy because I think he just broke a record, a line that prompted laughter in the House chamber and a smile from the SEALs wife.

The White House has repeatedly labeled the mission as a success because of the intelligence it yielded, although officials have generally been cautious to couch that characterization with praise for Owens sacrifice. But citing anonymous sources, NBC News reported Tuesday that the operation had not generated any significant information.

Owens father, who refused to meet President Donald Trump when he traveled to greet the remains of the fallen SEAL at Dover Air Force Base, said in an interview with the Miami Herald that the operation should be investigated and warned the White House not to hide behind his sons death. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has said the operation will be automatically reviewed by the Pentagon, in part because a service member was killed.

We were briefed again yesterday by [Defense Secretary James] Mattis, giving us a summary of the intelligence that was gathered, Pence said in an interview Wednesday with CBS This Morning. This was a strike that was directed at obtaining information about the Al Qaeda operating out of Yemen. We do believe it will lay a foundation for victories in the future.

NBC has reported that there was no significant intelligence gathered from that raid is. That wrong? anchor Norah ODonnell followed-up.

That is wrong. I can tell you that Secretary Mattis, as recently as yesterday confirmed again to the administration that there was significant intelligence that was gathered that will lead to American success and to the safety and security of the American people, Pence replied, echoing comments Trump made during his address to Congress.

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Pence disputes reports that Yemen raid yielded no significant intel - Politico