House GOP Fails to OK Schiavo Legislation
51 minutes ago Politics - U. S. Congress
By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - House Republicans, seeing Congress as a last hope for brain-damaged Terri Schiavo, failed during an extraordinary Palm Sunday session to pass legislation aimed at prolonging the Florida woman's life.
Once Democrats refused to allow the measure to go ahead without objection, Republicans began scrambling to bring lawmakers, who had just started their Easter recess, back to Washington.
Majority Republicans called a recess after the four-minute session and said they planned to meet as early as one minute after midnight on Monday — if they get at least 218 of the 435-member House to attend.
The Senate awaited the chance for quick approval of a bill that congressional leaders said would allow Schiavo's feeding tube to be reconnected. President Bush (news - web sites) was cutting short a stay at his Texas ranch and returning to the White House by Sunday evening in hopes of being able to sign the bill.
"Her feeding tube was removed, so time was important at this point," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said, explaining Bush's decision to return to the capital. "Hours do matter at this point," McClellan told reporters aboard Air Force One.
He said the president had not made any calls to lawmakers about the legislation, drafted after an order from a Florida judge allowed Schiavo's husband to have the feeding tube disconnected on Friday afternoon. McClellan said the bill was an effort to give Schiavo's parents "an opportunity to save their daughter's life."
After Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., gaveled the House into session, Democrats made clear they would not let the bill pass on a voice vote. That meant the need for GOP leaders to gather the required number of lawmakers for a roll call vote.
The House has 232 Republicans, 202 Democrats and one independent.
Like McClellan, congressional Republicans denied that political motivations were behind legislative efforts.
"I hope we're not ... making this human tragedy a political issue," said Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz. "We've got plenty of other issues that are political in nature for us to fight about."
The bill would give Schiavo's parents the right to file suit in federal court relating to the withdrawal of food and medical treatment needed to sustain the life of their daughter.
The bill states that the U.S. District Court, after determining the merits of the suit, "shall issue such declaratory and injunctive relief as may be necessary to protect the rights" of the woman. Injunctive relief in this case could mean the reinserting of feeding tubes...
