S. 539 & H.R. 1151
INCAPACITATED PERSON'S LEGAL PROTECTION ACT

Status as of March 12:  Terri Schindler-Schiavo is scheduled to have her feeding tube removed on March 18 and the judge has forbidden any effort to feed her by mouth after that.  The feeding tube removal is therefore a death sentence.

Congressman Weldon and Senator Martinez have sponsored legislation in the US Congress that would allow someone like Terri whose rights have not been protected by state courts to bring the case to the federal courts.

To help protect Terri, call your Congressional legislators, both the senators and the person in the House of Representatives.  In New York State, that means Senators Clinton and Schumer.  There are probably local numbers in the US government section of your phone book where you can reach them.  If not, call their offices in Washington.

Senators Clinton and Schumer need to be asked to co-sponsor and vote for S. 539. 

Your Representative in the House needs to be asked to co-sponsor HR 1151.  In both cases, the bill is the Incapacitated Person’s Legal Protection Act.  It has also been informally referred to as the Federal Terri’s Law.

More information can be found at the National Right to Life website www.nrlc.org

But do act right away.  Continued pressure is needed by thousands of people and we cannot give up.  Terri’s survival depends on it.

If it's after the 18th when you read this, call anyway.  (1) You might still benefit Terri but (2) even if Terri is beyond help you might help save the next person.  What is planned for Terri would be illegal in Florida if you did it to a dog.  Make sure the next person is treated better than a dog.

Hint:  Another possibility for helping Terri is through the Florida legislature.  There are legislative initiatives in progress there also.  So if you know people in Florida, consider alerting them to the information that many newspapers are not carrying.  For example, Terri is not in a coma, she is not connected to a machine, many doctors have said that she is not in a persistent vegetative state and that she could indeed benefit from rehabilitation.  For more information, look on the National Right to Life website www.nrlc.org , the website put together by Terri's family www.terrisfight.org, or the website of Priests for Life www.priestsforlife.org.

If you are a Florida voter, call your representatives and explain how they can best represent your views.

Rochester area contacts:

Updated on RARTL March 12, 2005