Printer
Friendly Version
Wyden praises 9th Circuit
decision to maintain Oregon's Death with Dignity law
May 26, 2004
Portland, OR – U.S. Senator
Ron Wyden today praised the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit's ruling upholding Oregon's Death with Dignity law. Today's
ruling thwarts U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft's appeal of
an April 2002 U.S. District Court ruling that also upheld Oregon's
law, which has faced serious opposition since being approved by
Oregon voters in 1994 and again in 1997.
Wyden has twice defeated Congressional efforts to overturn Oregon's
physician assisted suicide law and has strongly criticized Ashcroft's
attempts to use the Drug Enforcement Agency to pursue physicians
working under the law. In November 2002, Wyden and U.S. Reps.
Darlene Hooley, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and David Wu
filed an amicus brief in the case in opposition to efforts by
Ashcroft to overturn the state law.
In response to the ruling, Wyden said:
"With today's ruling, the Executive branch has now been
told once by Congress and twice by the courts that it has no
role and no authority to overturn Oregon's twice-chosen course.
Because the Senate refused to pass the Hyde-Nickles legislation,
the 9th Circuit has now confirmed that Congress never waived
Oregon's right to allow physicians to aid terminally ill patients.
Attorney General Ashcroft needs to finally accept ‘no'
for an answer and attend to the many more pressing challenges
confronting the Department of Justice.
"Congress should also accept
the court's ruling and remain focused on improving the economy
and the dangerous situation
in Iraq. Should Senator Nickles and others view this ruling as
an invitation to once again attempt to overturn Oregon's law,
I intend to once again defeat their efforts.
"I am proud of the job
done by Attorney General Myers and his staff, and congratulate
them on their outstanding efforts."
# # #