OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

For the Relief of the Parents of Theresa Marie Schiavo

By: Tom Cole
By: Tom Cole
Date: March 20, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Health and Health Care


FOR THE RELIEF OF THE PARENTS OF THERESA MARIE SCHIAVO -- (House of Representatives - March 20, 2005)

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Mr. COLE of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, when I came here tonight, I had no intention to speak on this issue for, frankly, the most personal of reasons: a year ago my brother and I were involved in making precisely this same kind of decision where my mother was concerned. We were fortunate. We had been empowered by her to make that decision, we were in agreement on the decision, and the medical professionals and her minister agreed with us about that decision. So we got to make that decision in the privacy and with the dignity that one would want for every family in that situation.

As I listen to the debate tonight, I think the opponents of this measure have made many good and interesting points. They have talked about States' rights, they have talked about precedent, they have discussed separation of powers, and they discussed the importance of the legislative process. All of those are important and legitimate points, and they merit discussion.

But while we discuss them, a life is in the balance, and that is really the only immediate and compelling issue before us tonight.

What do we know about that life and about the conditions of that life? We know that the family disagrees about the condition, about the fate, and about the appropriate course of action where Terri Schiavo is concerned. We know that she is not on artificial life support, only receiving hydration and nutrition. We know that there is split medical testimony about her condition and her quality of life. We know that there are issues of conflict of interest and motivation about those making the final decision. And we know that if we do not act, Terri Schiavo will die.

Great questions often are raised by individual cases, inconvenient cases, cases that break precedent, cases that confront us when we prefer not to be confronted.

Mr. Speaker, life and individual rights trump all else. Where there is doubt, we should err, if err we do, on the side of protecting the rights of any individual, especially when it is the right to life. We should make sure that Terri Schiavo has her day in Federal court. It is the right thing to do, it is the decent thing to do, it is the only thing to do.

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