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Disability in the News.

Bill Against Assisted Suicide Clears Senate Panel.

According to the Associated Press, a bill that would bar doctors from using federally regulated drugs to help patients commit suicide was approved September 24th by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill passed the committee by a vote of 11 to 6, with most Democrats opposing.

However, the bill would most likely not pass the Senate this year. Committee Chairman Senator Orrin Hatch (R) of Utah told the committee he wanted to approve the bill to increase debate on this issue. Several senators expressed concerns, saying they were only approving the bill with the understanding it would not make it to the Senate floor. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has pledged to filibuster and use other stalling tactics if the bill reaches the Senate floor.

The concerns, voiced most loudly by Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein of California and Patrick Leahy of Vermont, were that the legislation would discourage doctors from prescribing an adequate level of painkilling medication. This is also the arguement of several medical groups, who worry doctors may lose their licenses to prescribe federally controlled substances if they used those drugs to assist in a suicide.

Representative Henry Hyde (R) of Illinois has sponsored a similar bill in the House. It's unclear when the House will vote.

Source: Associated Press.

For more information on these and other legislative issues, visit the Senate (www.senate.gov), the House of Representatives, and Thomas, the legislative server of the Library of Congress (thomas.loc.gov).

Read the NSCIA's position on assisted suicide.  
 

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