"The Senate has a narrowly focused bill that deals only with the planned abortion of Terri Schiavo, allowing her standing in federal court, which would immediately stay a Florida court's ruling which would allow Planned Parenthood's Boca Raton office to perform the controversial abortion procedure, now scheduled for March 18.
The House, however, passed a more broadly defined bill on Wednesday night. In it, "persons" — defined as "any born individual who is presently outside the womb and in at least the 50th trimester of life" — are given the right to take their case to federal court after the state court route has been exhausted. The House bill does not grant an automatic stay for Schiavo despite support from House leaders like the ultra-conservative Rep. Tom DeLay, the House Majority Leader.
But even with an agreement between the Senate and House, sources told The Jawa Report on Thursday that Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) has "dug in" against passage of the Senate bill by unanimous consent. He is a well-known pro-choice advocate and in a recent press statement said that,
"Michael Schiavo has a right to terminate his wife's life. His wife's body belongs to him. What he does with Terri's body is nobody elses business."
Wyden then added in a press-conference on the steps of Capital Hill,
"My personal view is that 132nd trimester abortions are wrong. However, I believe that such decisions are
best left to a couple and their doctor."Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay today (3-17-05 ) released the following statement: "It's unconscionable that Senate Democrats led by Senators Harry Reid and Ron Wyden would not allow a vote to move forward on critical legislation the House passed last night to save and protect Terri Schiavo's life. House Republicans knew we had a moral obligation to act and we did just that last night. As Terri Schiavo lays helpless in Florida, one day away from the unthinkable and unforgivable, the Senate Democrats refused to join Republicans to act on her behalf."
Everyone should contact Sen. Harry Reid (D. Nev.) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D.OR.)
Sen. Reid-http://reid.senate.gov/email_form.cfm Phone: 202-224-3542 / Fax: 202-224-7327
Sen. Wyden-http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/ Phone:202-224-5244
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