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| REJECTING THE RIGHT TO DIE | |
 November 1999 
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Congress has approved legislation that would penalize physicians who assist in suicides. The vote overrides an Oregon law from 1997 that allows doctors to prescribe lethal doses of painkillers for their patients. |
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The Oregon law says that doctors can prescribe the drugs for terminally-ill people who have less than six months to live, but not administer it. The 271-156 vote in Congress did not stick to party lines. The bill says that physicians who assist in suicides would be penalized. Instead, Representatives encouraged better pain management. Illinois Republican Henry Hyde a sponsor of the "Pain Relief Promotion Act" said the Oregon law devalues human life and makes doctors into "messengers of death." Doctors "can put down their stethoscope and pick up the poison pill," Hyde said. Opponents of the bill argued doctors would be more hesitant to give pain killers. "There is already an undertreatment of pain in America. Don't make it worse," said New Jersey Democrat Steven Rothman. Should doctors be allowed to help patients speed up imminent death? Should Congress pass legislation that affects physician-assisted suicide? Answering your questions are a leading supporter of the House bill, Republican Congressman Dave Weldon of Florida. He is also a practicing physician. Deputy Attorney General of Oregon David Schuman is also a professor of constitutional law at the University of Oregon.
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