Posted on 03/11/2005 4:25:34 PM PST by gopwinsin04
With avenues to keep Terri Schiavo alive closing in the state of Florida, they were opening in the nation's capital Thursday . The tide turned decidedly in favor of the parents who want to prolong their brain-damaged daughters life.
Just a scant eight days before the court ordered deadline to remove her feeding tube, Republicans on Capitol Hill rallied around the case that has become a 'cause celebre' of conservative and religious groups.
Florida Sen. Mel Martinez and Rep. Dave Weldon's bill to require the incapacitated without living wills to be appointed attorneys before life support is terminated, introduced on Tuesday had 103 sponsors in the House and seven sponsors in the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a surgeon, is trying to get it to the Senate floor without it being heard in committte. House Majority Leader Tom Delay is working to get the bill in front of the Judiciary committee by Wednesday.
It was unclear whether US Congressional Democrats would try and stop the bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he prefers for it to be heard in committee.
Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican, said he hopes for full Democratic support and has heard no direct oppositon.
George Felos, attorney for Michael Schiavo, sounded resigned to the fact that politics in the nations capital would delay the removal of Schiavo's feeding tube the way it did in 2003, when Florida's governor and legislature stepped in.
'It is certainly disheartening to see them falling all over themselves to pander to these groups,' Felos said. 'It's a massive campaign of fear and misinformation. It's a repeat of Terri's law'
The attorney for the Schiavo parents had the opposite view. 'We are very encouraged by what is happening in Congress right now, said David Gibbs.
'The family is profoundly grateful'
(Excerpt) Read more at sptimes.com ...
My cup runneth over
Please call your state senators (both) and your congressional office and ask them to support S539 aka "Incapacitated Persons Legal Protection Act of 2005".
And please keep praying.
Huh? I didn't say that. I said "Simply Awesome" in Post #4.
Congress should not be in the business of overriding the states in these matters. They can't even hang this legislation on the bogus peg of interstate commerce.
whoopee
Thanks, PYP! Terri ping! If anyone would like to be added to or removed from my Terri ping list, please let me know by FReepmail!
"Keep on praying" bump!
They don't need to, they hang it on 5A and 14A.
You had better make clear your sarcasm my FRiend! ; )
It's pretty disgusting that a case such as this has to even go to such a level of government. IMO
Continued prayers offered up for Terri's safety, health and comfort.
St. Jude, patron saint of hopeless causes and desperate cases, we continue to pray for your intercession in Terri's favor. You were Jesus' near kinsman and one of the twelve apostles, you now sit around the throne of God praising Him and interceding for the helpless and hopeless. We beg your intercession, asking this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
I agree; I thought conservatives were for states' rights.
Ping aling.
I guess this puts to bed your absolute LIE that none of the Republicans seemed to be rallying around this case.
I for one am.
But not when it comes to the fundamental God-given, unalienable rights to life and liberty.
That's why we have a Bill of Rights.
No state has the right to abrogate those rights in any way, ever.
Let's let Congress decide when school zone speed limits are in effect in my neighborhood. This stuff is too complicated to leave up to locals.
"....the incapacitated without living wills to be appointed attorneys before life support is terminated."
Interesting ... just HOW is the attorney supposed to know the wishes of his client ?
Pretty clear. She has a right to life. Absent any definitive evidence of a request to terminate her food and water, Judge Greer is violating her right to life and due process is a joke in Florida.
Nothing to do with local issues, the issue is paramount, the right to live and Congress is well within it's powers to prevent states from starving their citizens no matter what the court says. Think Dred Scott.
Putting Terri to death by starvation or by what you would be comfortable with as "a painless method and with the dignity of having her family at her bedside."... belies the fact that either method is euthanasia which is illegal and immoral.
This is not a death penalty case. This is a case which will set a prcedent for starving and dehydrating those who cannot feed themselves. Those who back euthanasia are hoping to set this precedent as it fits with their future plans for us all. God help anyone who supports this and hope they do not have to suffer murder by court decree should something incapacitate them or their loved one.
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