Lawmakers Seek To Allow Federal Funding for Assisted Suicide

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Sign the Petition: I oppose US federal funding for assisted suicide (Link).

Maggie Hroncich

Maggie Hroncich wrote an article on a proposed bill to permit federal funding for assisted suicide that was published in the New York Sun. Hroncich reported that Democrat Members of Congress have introduced a HR 8137 to reverse the 1997 Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act and replace it with the Patient Access to End of Life Care Act. The language of the bill is not yet available but the new act would permit federal funding for assisted suicide. Hroncich reports:

For nearly 30 years — since Oregon became the first state to legalize physician-assisted death — Congress has prevented federal funding such as Medicare from being used by patients to pay for the practice. A bill proposed by Democratic lawmakers seeks to change that.

In 1997, Congress passed the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act, which prohibits using federal funds to provide for any health care services that assisted in someone’s death, including “assisting in the suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing of any individual.”

The sponsors of the bill, Democratic Representatives Brittany Pettersen and Scott Peters released a draft discussion which states:

“Medical aid-in-dying, an authorized medical practice, is not euthanasia, mercy killing, or assisted suicide,” a draft discussion of the new “Patient Access to End of Life Care Act’’ obtained by the Sun reads.

In other words Petterson and Peters intend to get funding approved for assisted suicide by redefining assisted suicide as not being assisted suicide.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is opposing the Patient Access to End of Life Care Act. Hroncich reports:

Yet, an online petition with hundreds of signatures is already forming against the proposal, noting that it “would force Americans to pay for assisted suicide (medically approved killing by poison) with their tax dollars.”

“I oppose assisted suicide and I vehemently oppose paying for medically approved killing,” the petition on Canada’s Euthanasia Prevention Coaltion writes of the American legislation. “Thank you in advance for upholding my conscience rights by not approving the use of tax dollars for killing.”

The Canadian group is outspoken in warning America not to follow its path, arguing that legalizing medically-assisted death opens a door that can’t be shut.

Sign the Petition: I oppose US federal funding for assisted suicide (Link).