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WYDEN INFORMS SENATE LEADERSHIP
HE WILL BLOCK LEGISLATION
OVERTURNING “DEATH WITH DIGNITY”
Senator moves to preserve yesterday’s
Supreme Court ruling
January 18, 2006
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator
Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today informed U.S. Senate leadership that
he will block any Federal legislative efforts that would impact
Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act, which the U.S. Supreme
Court upheld yesterday. In a statement submitted to the Congressional
Record and in a letter to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.),
Wyden stated his intention “to use every legislative and
procedural tool at my disposal as a United States Senator to block
any attempt to overturn, invalidate or otherwise affect Oregon’s
law in any way.”
In 2000, Wyden used his ability
to filibuster to block legislative efforts in the U.S. Senate
that would have invalidated Oregon’s Death with Dignity
Act, which has been approved twice by the state’s voters.
In July 2005, Wyden, along with U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.),
Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.) and David Wu
(D-Ore.) filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court opposing
efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice to overturn the Oregon
law, first enacted by the state in 1997. In that brief they maintained
that former Attorney General John Ashcroft used the Controlled
Substances Act incorrectly to bring the Justice Department’s
case and threaten Oregon physicians who follow the Oregon law.
The Supreme Court upheld the Oregon law yesterday in a 6-3 decision.
As a matter of policy, Wyden publicly
announces any formal objection he lodges with regard to the nominees
or legislation, and does so with a formal statement in the Congressional
Record. The text of Wyden’s statement and letter to Senator
Reid can be found below:
For the Congressional Record
Statement by United States Senator
Ron Wyden
January 18, 2006
M. President, consistent with my practice of announcing publicly
my intent to object to unanimous consent requests, I am asking
unanimous consent to print this statement and the attached letter
in the Congressional Record. It explains that I will use every
legislative and procedural tool at my disposal as a United States
Senator to block any attempt to affect in any way Oregon’s
Death with Dignity Act, which the Supreme Court upheld yesterday.
Text of Letter to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid
January 18, 2006
The Honorable Harry Reid
Minority Leader
S-221, The Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Leader Reid:
I am writing to inform you of my
intent to object to any unanimous consent request to consider
any measure or matter that might affect end of life care generally
and Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act in particular.
As you know, the U.S. Supreme Court
yesterday upheld Oregon=s unique Death with Dignity Act, and I
intend to use every legislative and procedural tool at my disposal
as a United States Senator to block any attempt to overturn, invalidate
or otherwise affect Oregon’s law in any way.
Consistent with my practice of publicly
announcing my intent to place a “hold” on a measure
or matter, I will ask that this letter be printed in the Congressional
Record. If your staff has any questions, please feel free to contact
my Legislative and Policy Director, Carole Grunberg, or my Senior
Health Policy Advisor, Stephanie Kennan at 202-224-5244.
Sincerely,
Ron Wyden
U.S. Senator
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