X-Message-Number: 10116
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 11:03:49 -0700
From: Arizonans for Death with Dignity <>
Subject: Federal bills blocking assisted suicide continue to move 

The Portland Oregonian is reporting:-

Bills blocking assisted suicide continue to move 

Legislation aimed at Oregon's law might go to the 
House and also is scheduled for a Senate hearing 

Saturday, July 25 1998

By Dave Hogan of The Oregonian staff 

WASHINGTON -- Legislation that would block 
Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law continues to 
advance in Congress.

The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to 
decide Tuesday whether the Lethal Drug Abuse 
Prevention Act should go to the House for a vote. 
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing 
on a companion bill Friday.

Because the chairmen of the Senate and House 
Judiciary committees have spearheaded congressional 
efforts to stop doctors from prescribing lethal drugs 
under Oregon's Death With Dignity Act, the 
legislation is not expected to have difficulties moving 
forward.

The bills, introduced in the House and Senate in early 
June, would amend the Controlled Substances Act to 
specifically prohibit doctors from prescribing drugs for 
the purpose of assisting in the suicide of a terminally 
ill patient. Oregon has the only physician-assisted 
suicide law in the nation.

The legislation answered a June 5 decision by U.S. 
Attorney General Janet Reno that the federal Drug 
Enforcement Administration could not use the 
Controlled Substances Act to discipline doctors who 
prescribe lethal medications under Oregon's law.

Reno's decision was announced in letters to Sen. 
Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., 
chairmen of the Senate and House Judiciary 
committees.

Both men have said that they disagree with Reno and 
that the new legislation should not be necessary 
because the Controlled Substances Act allows 
doctors to prescribe drugs only for "a legitimate 
medical purpose."

The House bill has moved more quickly. After it was 
introduced by Hyde and Rep. James L. Oberstar, 
D-Minn., the Constitution subcommittee held a 
hearing July 14. The hearing included testimony by 
physicians and other witnesses, including Oregon 
Gov. John Kitzhaber, a former emergency room 
doctor, and Dr. Thomas Reardon, president-elect of 
the American Medical Association. Both oppose the 
legislation.

On Wednesday, the subcommittee amended the bill 
and approved it by a 6-5 vote.

One amendment clarified that federal authorities must 
prove that a doctor intended to cause or assist a 
person's death. Authorities could not discipline 
doctors solely on the basis that they knew the 
prescription could cause death.

Although that change was meant to address doctors' 
concerns that the legislation could deter doctors from 
aggressively using pain medication for dying patients, 
the AMA remains opposed to the bill.

Hyde, who participated in the subcommittee's hearing 
and vote, said last week that his bill might be ready 
for a vote by the House in September.

Next Friday's hearing in the Senate will be the first 
action on a bill that was introduced by Sen. Don 
Nickles, R-Okla., the assistant majority leader.
Witnesses for that hearing have not been announced. 
Kitzhaber will not attend, but it is uncertain whether 
another state government official will testify, said 

Kitzhaber spokesman Bob Applegate. 

Hatch has made clear his feelings about assisted 
suicide. When Reno appeared before his committee 
last week for a review of U.S. Justice Department's 
operations, Hatch took the opportunity to spell out his 
position on whether federal law applies to assisted 
suicide.

"Obviously, at least to me, using drugs to kill poses a 
greater risk to public health and safety than using them 
to addict," Hatch said.

Beyond the chairmen of the Judiciary committees, 
there appears to be considerable support for blocking 
Oregon's law. More than 200 members of Congress 
wrote letters to Reno before her June 5 decision, 
urging her to say that federal law prohibits doctors 
from assisting with patients' suicides.

At least 23 senators have signed on as co-sponsors of 
Nickles' bill, and 36 members have co-sponsored the 
House bill. 

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