President Comments on Right To Life, for Schiavo
Bush Signs Measure Aimed at Keeping Schiavo Alive
Chicago Tribune
WASHINGTON - President Bush early Monday signed emergency legislation passed by Congress in a post-midnight session aimed at prolonging Terri Schiavo's life, elevating a celebrated Florida case into a larger political and legal controversy about American values regarding life and death.
``In cases like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life,'' Bush said in a statement after signing the bill.
In an extraordinary day of political drama, members of Congress rushed back from their Easter recess on Palm Sunday to vote on the bill to allow a federal court to review a Florida judge's Friday decision ordering the severely brain-damaged woman's feeding tube removed.
The Senate approved the measure on a voice vote in a nearly empty chamber Sunday, but some House Democrats blocked an immediate voice vote in that chamber, forcing the House Republican leadership to schedule a roll call that began at about 12:20 a.m. Monday, Washington time.
The bill, which required a two-thirds majority to pass the House, was approved 203-58, with Democrats sharply split and Republicans overwhelmingly in support.
The president cut short a stay at his Texas ranch and raced back to the White House so he could sign the bill promptly. Bush and other supporters of the bill hoped to get a speedy federal court decision restoring the feeding tube that has kept Schiavo alive for 15 years.
"We ought to err on the side of life in a case like this," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. "I think most people recognize that this case involves some extraordinary circumstances."
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said a U.S. District Court in Florida, open 24 hours, had been notified that a petition would be filed as soon as Bush signed the measure.
"Time is not on Terri Schiavo's side," DeLay said. "The few remaining objecting House Democrats have so far cost Mrs. Schiavo two meals already today."
Some Democrats questioned whether Congress should be trying to decide whether to keep Schiavo alive. Her husband, Michael, has fought in court to have the feeding tube removed while her parents have pushed to keep their daughter alive.
"It is particularly hypocritical when you have people who say they advocate on behalf of the Defense of Marriage Act who now insert themselves between a husband and his wife," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.
"It's not the place of Congress, in the 11th hour and in the most abusive fashion, to undermine the Florida court system," said Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., added, "We are seeing, sadly, the manifestation of a constitutional crisis. You will have hundreds of members of Congress making a medical decision about which we know nothing."
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said he didn't envision that the legislation would spark many similar cases coming before Congress.
"It is a unique bill passed under unique circumstances that should not serve as a precedent for future legislation," he said.
As the GOP-dominated Congress scrambled to keep Schiavo alive, it was disclosed that a memo distributed to Republican senators described the Schiavo case as a "great political issue" that could help the GOP with Christian conservatives in the 2006 midterm elections.
"This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited that the Senate is debating this important issue," according to the memo. Some GOP lawmakers decried the fact the memo was leaked. Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) said in an interview that the Republican leadership in the House did not want to politicize the issue.
"I hope that we're not making this human tragedy a political issue," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Rep. James Moran, D-Va., said Schiavo and her family members had become "political pawns to larger political issues." But Moran added, "I can't say necessarily that I'm speaking for my constituents."
The Schiavo case is a sensitive one for Democrats, smarting over their losses in 2004, when social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage proved to be big issues in presidential and congressional elections.
Though some Democrats blocked a voice vote by the House on Sunday, DeLay said the measure had strong bipartisan support.
The unsigned GOP memo called the Schiavo case "a tough issue for Democrats." But presidential spokesman McClellan disavowed any political motive in the president's support of the legislation.
"The president believes that our society should be based on a culture of life," McClellan told reporters on Air Force One as it headed to Washington.
Schiavo's husband and her parents have been in a long legal struggle.
She has been diagnosed by doctors as being "in a persistent vegetative state" since her heart stopped because of a chemical imbalance. Her husband says she did not want to have her life extended. But there was no written directive or "living will" to that effect.
"There are some congressmen that are trying to stop this bill," said Schiavo's mother, Mary Schindler. "Please don't use my daughter's suffering for your own personal agenda."
The attorney for the Schindlers, Barbara Weller, faxed a letter to the hospice where Schiavo is a patient and said the feeding tube could be reinserted as early as Monday on the basis of congressional action.
In an interview, Michael Schiavo said, "I am outraged, and I think every American in this country should be outraged, that this government is trampling all over a personal family matter that has been adjudicated in the courts for seven years. I think that the Congress has more important things to discuss."
House and Senate committees issued subpoenas last week seeking to have the feedings continued, but that was rejected by a Florida court.
___
(c) 2005, Chicago Tribune.
Visit the Chicago Tribune on the Internet at http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
LINK: http://www.950kprc.com/script/headline_newsmanager.php?id=394232&pagecontent=nationalnews&feed_id=59
Chicago Tribune
WASHINGTON - President Bush early Monday signed emergency legislation passed by Congress in a post-midnight session aimed at prolonging Terri Schiavo's life, elevating a celebrated Florida case into a larger political and legal controversy about American values regarding life and death.
``In cases like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life,'' Bush said in a statement after signing the bill.
In an extraordinary day of political drama, members of Congress rushed back from their Easter recess on Palm Sunday to vote on the bill to allow a federal court to review a Florida judge's Friday decision ordering the severely brain-damaged woman's feeding tube removed.
The Senate approved the measure on a voice vote in a nearly empty chamber Sunday, but some House Democrats blocked an immediate voice vote in that chamber, forcing the House Republican leadership to schedule a roll call that began at about 12:20 a.m. Monday, Washington time.
The bill, which required a two-thirds majority to pass the House, was approved 203-58, with Democrats sharply split and Republicans overwhelmingly in support.
The president cut short a stay at his Texas ranch and raced back to the White House so he could sign the bill promptly. Bush and other supporters of the bill hoped to get a speedy federal court decision restoring the feeding tube that has kept Schiavo alive for 15 years.
"We ought to err on the side of life in a case like this," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. "I think most people recognize that this case involves some extraordinary circumstances."
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said a U.S. District Court in Florida, open 24 hours, had been notified that a petition would be filed as soon as Bush signed the measure.
"Time is not on Terri Schiavo's side," DeLay said. "The few remaining objecting House Democrats have so far cost Mrs. Schiavo two meals already today."
Some Democrats questioned whether Congress should be trying to decide whether to keep Schiavo alive. Her husband, Michael, has fought in court to have the feeding tube removed while her parents have pushed to keep their daughter alive.
"It is particularly hypocritical when you have people who say they advocate on behalf of the Defense of Marriage Act who now insert themselves between a husband and his wife," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.
"It's not the place of Congress, in the 11th hour and in the most abusive fashion, to undermine the Florida court system," said Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., added, "We are seeing, sadly, the manifestation of a constitutional crisis. You will have hundreds of members of Congress making a medical decision about which we know nothing."
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said he didn't envision that the legislation would spark many similar cases coming before Congress.
"It is a unique bill passed under unique circumstances that should not serve as a precedent for future legislation," he said.
As the GOP-dominated Congress scrambled to keep Schiavo alive, it was disclosed that a memo distributed to Republican senators described the Schiavo case as a "great political issue" that could help the GOP with Christian conservatives in the 2006 midterm elections.
"This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited that the Senate is debating this important issue," according to the memo. Some GOP lawmakers decried the fact the memo was leaked. Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) said in an interview that the Republican leadership in the House did not want to politicize the issue.
"I hope that we're not making this human tragedy a political issue," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Rep. James Moran, D-Va., said Schiavo and her family members had become "political pawns to larger political issues." But Moran added, "I can't say necessarily that I'm speaking for my constituents."
The Schiavo case is a sensitive one for Democrats, smarting over their losses in 2004, when social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage proved to be big issues in presidential and congressional elections.
Though some Democrats blocked a voice vote by the House on Sunday, DeLay said the measure had strong bipartisan support.
The unsigned GOP memo called the Schiavo case "a tough issue for Democrats." But presidential spokesman McClellan disavowed any political motive in the president's support of the legislation.
"The president believes that our society should be based on a culture of life," McClellan told reporters on Air Force One as it headed to Washington.
Schiavo's husband and her parents have been in a long legal struggle.
She has been diagnosed by doctors as being "in a persistent vegetative state" since her heart stopped because of a chemical imbalance. Her husband says she did not want to have her life extended. But there was no written directive or "living will" to that effect.
"There are some congressmen that are trying to stop this bill," said Schiavo's mother, Mary Schindler. "Please don't use my daughter's suffering for your own personal agenda."
The attorney for the Schindlers, Barbara Weller, faxed a letter to the hospice where Schiavo is a patient and said the feeding tube could be reinserted as early as Monday on the basis of congressional action.
In an interview, Michael Schiavo said, "I am outraged, and I think every American in this country should be outraged, that this government is trampling all over a personal family matter that has been adjudicated in the courts for seven years. I think that the Congress has more important things to discuss."
House and Senate committees issued subpoenas last week seeking to have the feedings continued, but that was rejected by a Florida court.
___
(c) 2005, Chicago Tribune.
Visit the Chicago Tribune on the Internet at http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
LINK: http://www.950kprc.com/script/headline_newsmanager.php?id=394232&pagecontent=nationalnews&feed_id=59
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