Posted on 03/20/2005 2:52:24 PM PST by Jean S
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate passed a bill that could prolong Terri Schiavo's life while a federal court considers her case while House Republicans, stymied by Democrats, scrambled to bring enough lawmakers back to the Capitol for an emergency vote early Monday.
GOP leaders planned a House vote just past midnight, hours after the Senate approved the bill by voice vote. President Bush rushed back from his Texas for a chance to sign the measure.
The plan had been for the House to act first and then the Senate to pass the House version. But with Democrats forcing a delay in the House, the Senate went ahead and passed its own, identical, version by unrecorded voice vote.
That means the House will be acting on the Senate-passed bill, still enabling the legislation to be hurried to Bush for signature into law.
The White House said the president would act as soon as the measure reaches him.
"We ought to err on the side of life in a case like this," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. Asked about a bill that would cover a single person, he said, "I think most people recognize that this case involves some extraordinary circumstances."
Lawmakers who left Washington on Friday for the two-week Easter recess had to make abrupt changes in plans, backtracking for a dramatic and politically contentious vote.
Democrats expressed sympathy for the severely brain-damaged Florida woman and for the plight of her family. But they also accused Republicans of ramming through constitutionally questionable legislation to satisfy the agenda of their conservative allies.
In a special session Sunday afternoon, Democrats refused to allow the bill to be passed without a roll call vote.
Under House rules, such a vote could not occur until Monday, thus the plans for a vote at 12:01 a.m. Monday at which at least 218 of the 435-member House must appear. Also, because it was an expedited vote, the measure needed votes from two-thirds of those present for passage.
The House has 232 Republicans, 202 Democrats and one independent.
The legislation would give Schiavo's parents the right to file suit in federal court over the withdrawal of food and medical treatment needed to sustain the life of their daughter.
It says the court, after determining the merits of the suit, "shall issue such declaratory and injunctive relief as may be necessary to protect the rights" of the woman. Injunctive relief in this case could mean the reinserting of feeding tubes.
"It gives Terri Schiavo another chance," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said after the late-afternoon voice vote in a near-empty Senate chamber. "It guarantees a process to help Terri, but does not guarantee a particular outcome."
Frist also noted that the bill, responding to some Democratic objections, does not affect state assisted suicide laws or serve as a precedent for future legislation.
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said members scattered across the globe were being summoned back to Washington by aides to House Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
Blunt's office sent a notice to members on their handheld computers Friday to be prepared to return to Washington on Sunday, said spokeswoman Burson Taylor.
In emergencies, when that does not work, the whip's office activates a phone tree, where one member is charged with calling the next. "We do anticipate a quorum," she said.
Smith added, "It should come as no surprise to any members reading a newspaper or watching TV. Smith canceled an official trip to Albania to escort Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler, to Capitol Hill press conferences Sunday.
The Democratic whip, Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said his office was informing members of the vote and not discouraging them from returning to the capital. But he said the party was not counting votes and was telling members to vote their conscience on the issue.
Schiavo has been in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years. Her feeding tubes were removed Friday afternoon at the request of her husband, who says that his wife expressed to him before she fell ill that she did not want to be kept alive under such circumstances.
House and Senate committees at the end of the week issued subpoenas seeking to force the continuation of treatment, but that move was rejected by a Florida court.
Schiavo could linger for one or two weeks if the tube is not reinserted, as has happened twice before.
Republicans defined their extraordinary efforts in the context of the sanctity of life: "A society is judged by the way that it treats its most vulnerable citizens," said Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.
"No person in America should be deprived of the right to life without due process of law and Terri Schiavo is no different," Pence said.
But Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., spoke of "the manifestation of a constitutional crisis" where Congress, for ideological reasons, was ignoring the separations of power written into the Constitution.
Republicans distanced themselves from a memo suggesting GOP lawmakers could use the case to appeal to Christian conservative voters and to force Democrats into a difficult vote.
"I hope we're not ... making this human tragedy a political issue," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told ABC's "This Week." "We've got plenty of other issues that are political in nature for us to fight about."
AP-ES-03-20-05 1721EST
This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBPGFETJ6E.html
I live aboue 3 miles from Woodside and he's right. Locals here are p***ed at this circus sideshow in the national media. The 20 or so noisy, nosey people hanging out outside Woodside look like Northerners who got lost on their way to the beach. You'd think in a county with nearly 3 million residents there would be more then a handfull of protesters there if there were any suspected malfeasense on any of our Judges part. We've had our riots here. The GOP is losing votes over this in Fl.
I live here too. There was all negative info (as there is now) about the Schindlers and Terris condition. Greer has lots of bad money behind him, including the likes of Felos (Mr. Hemlock Society himself) Many donations were given to him. Huge billboards and newpaper ads. People do not put much interest in judges, they are more concerned about the amendments, etc. and usually vote with their eyes closed.So I dont want to hear that crap.
The simple fact that she is now being starved to death. This is the third time her feeding tube has been removed.
The facts are against you otherwise we wouldn't be having this discussion.
I guess there is no need to ask on whose side you and other fake, phony, sham, and bogus neocons are.
May y_hweh have mercy on you.
That is eye opening for sure.
Too bad none of this information is going to save her or it doesn't look that way.
Also her guardian ad litem who is a doctor also agreed to the diagnosis of PVS.
I hope this is what her wishes truly are because it looks like she is going to die.
Look, I do not consider myself religious, I cant remember the last time I went to church. I am a mom. I go to the Woodside Hospice to show my support to Mrs. Schindler whom I cant imagine the hurt she must be going thru. I could not ever imagine if that was my baby girl laying there - not being able to help her. I hate when folks say that this is the religious right that this concerns. It concerns us all, anyone who has ever loved another human being.
We aren't having a discussion.
You said, "The credibility that is lacking is in your arguement." I asked you to be specific about where my credibility is lacking.
You have not. :o)
I chose life as well.
I agree with the statement that GWB made the other day concerning Terri that when there is any doubt as to the patients wishes that we should come down on the side of life.
I'd rather be a culture of life than a culture of death.
Ive been there and there were certainly more than 20- dont b.s. the people. I went to HINO's house to protest, there were 10 women, mostly grandmother ages...they had the swat team waiting for us.
You must not have read any of my posts that say I want Terri to live.
I'm not sure who you are calling a death troll because you and I are in agreement that she should not be killed.
So are you saying that we are death trolls?
I'm wondering if the money behind this death-effort comes from those in FL who are tired of the frail and elderly living so long.
Is it any wonder this is taking place in Florida, the land of the nursing home?
"I have also heard it mentioned that this video was not allowed in as evidence during the last trial. I wonder what the reasoning was for that. Do you know? "
Euthanasia lawyer Felos and HINO, MS, refused because it would have shown that our Christian sister, Terri, is NOT, in fact, in a PVS state.
Free Terri! Arrest the rest!
I've read lots of affidavids from doctors who viewed the video who say that she is not PVS.
Are these the doctors you are referring to?
My point is that these doctors diagnosis do not appear to carry any weight in this case so they are merly medical opinions with no weight.
The current Democrat Party is the political party of death and treason. I only hope that Americans that value life rise by the millions in 2006 and destroy the Democrat "Death" Party at the polls. The Democrat Party needs to be eliminated as a viable political force in America!!!
Yes, I did see that - and I was cheering Fred all the way. I cannot stand Cici! She has that arrogant smirk on her face like the rest of the world is just too dumb to get it .. and she's the one who doesn't get it.
Read my post and you will see that I come down on the same side as you.
Does that make us both fake, phony, sham and bogus neocons.
This issue has made me lose alot of respect for a good number of Freepers who get so immotional that they have to resort to name calling. Sad!
There are few enough there that I can give you a head count next time I drive by there. There were more people at my grandsons pee wee ball practice. Are you saying there is a groundswell of support here in Pinellas Co. for the Schwindlers? Where is it? Even the Churches here don't want to go out there..Why do you think that is. I been following this case like many others who live here every since it started with the fight over the settlement money between Mike and Bob. Back then, it was generally thought that the Swindlers were trying to get Michael dismissed as Guardian because they wanted control of the money. Then came Terry Randall and the Brother Loves Traveling Salvation Show. Then the lies started.
I doubt that, but if so....WHO CARES?
It's NOT about votes, politics, or anything but a family's love for their daughter and sibling.... and the greed and ulterior motives of a man who couldn't care less about his "wife".
It's about saving the life of a woman who has family who want to care for her, and not see her go through excruciating death by starvation.
Get a clue.
Well .. he was replying to a question about the dems not supporting replacing the feeding tube and did he think that was going to hurt the dems and he said, "yes".
And .. yesterday .. the lawyer for the husband was all over the dems because some of them were siding with the repubs and he thought that was awful.
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