On the Hill: Will Strong Actions Match Strong Words?

From the pages of Life Matters! . . .

"Republican leaders in the Senate are preparing to move legislation this week if necessary to give federal courts jurisdiction over the life of Terri Schiavo," Geoff Earle reports on the front page of today's issue of The Hill.

The leaders could decide to call up a bill that would allow parties to the case, which has been tried in Florida courts, to petition to have it heard in Federal District Court. Alternatively, the GOP leaders could decide to try to move a private bill dealing specifically with the Schiavo case.

Either method, if passed by Congress and signed by President Bush, would provide Schiavo’s parents with another chance to keep their daughter alive.

"Michael Schiavo was on Capitol Hill last week meeting legislators," Earle notes. And it appears his efforts may be bearing fruit, however rotten.

Even if GOP leaders decide to act, they will probably face resistance from Democrats who are reluctant to make changes to federal law on the subject on such an expedited basis.

As the Senate is considering the budget resolution this week, turning to other legislation, such as the Incompacitated Persons Legal Protection Act (S. 539), introduced by Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL), will require unanimous consent.

Senior Democratic aides said it was unlikely Democrats would agree to a request by the majority to take up the legislation, which would be controversial and would lead to changes in an area of the law dealing with habeas corpus—an area of contention.

As politicians are generally moved by external pressures than by interior principles, everything is subject to change, if Terri's friends demand it loudly enough. As Earle continues:

Democrats may, however, wish to avoid acting in a way that passes up a chance to save Schiavo’s life if Republicans push for action on the floor.

The Democrats, which have been doing a lot of public soul-searching or political posturing, as the case may be, over moral values since their 2004 defeat, may not wish to reinforce their perception by Catholic voters and others as the Death Party. Ensuring that Terri dies by court-imposed dehydration will etch that image in stone, a stone that may become a millstone at the ballot box.

Politics, of course, affects both sides of the aisle, and it is interesting to see the reaction of Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), who has his eyes on the Oval Office, and Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), who has focus may now be diverted to retaining his Senate seat.

Frist, a physician, told The Hill he is "looking at" [Sen. Martinez bill] while consulting with members of the Judiciary Committee about it.

Referring to Schiavo, Frist said, "She is clearly alive today. Looking at the facts, I would think that the Senate should speak if there is not some action at the state level."

Santorum's words were stronger:

My feeling is we need to do something to stop what is an unconscionable act on the part of the Florida court.

He pledged that he would not allow Terri to die under court order.

That’s not going to happen on my watch.

Strong words, but as with every politician— and this one in particular—the question remains, "Will they be matched by strong actions?" Terri, her family, and her friends anxiously await the answer.