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NEWS RELEASE
October 28, 1999
CONTACT:
On October 27, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved passage of HR 2260, the Pain Relief Promotion Act of 1999. "We are very encouraged by the vote on this bill," said Not Dead Yet President and Founder, Diane Coleman. "This will bring much needed consistency among federal statutes on medically assisted suicide and promote training in palliative care and pain relief."
Despite all the rhetoric about "state's rights", Bioethics/Policy Specialist Cal Montgomery asserted that the legislation defines an appropriate role for federal regulation and oversight. "This bill reaffirms the legitimate role of the federal government in determining and defining legitimate goals of medicine and allowable uses of controlled substances," she said.
According to Stephen Drake, Research Analyst, at least one opponent of the bill made statements that were either intended to be misleading or reveal a high level of ignorance about the actual details of the Oregon law. Specifically, Rep. Barney Frank asserted that the Oregon assisted suicide law was designed to give suicide assistance to "individuals who are not capable of doing it". In actuality, the Oregon law limits assistance to individuals who can take their own medication.
As part of his comments, Barney Frank characterized disability in disparaging terms, especially when he referred to "…the psychological pain of being confined, rigid, being only a mind and nothing else, being totally dependent on others for everything else…"
Coleman, who uses a motorized wheelchair, characterized Frank's remarks as "some of the most bigoted language I have ever seen from a federal public official speaking for the record." Not Dead Yet is a national disability rights group opposing legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia. "Frank's comments prove again that assisted suicide proponents are largely motivated by disability-phobia."
Local, Memphis:
Tim Wheat
(901) 726-6404 * (901) 726-6521 fax
1633 Madison Avenue - Memphis TN 38104
National:
Steve Drake
Diane Coleman
(708) 209-1500 ext. 11
7521 Madison St.
Forest Park, IL 60130
The Memphis Center for Independent Living
1633 Madison Avenue,
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 726-6404 v/tty (901) 726-6521 fax
mcil@mcil.org
MCIL is a United Way of the Mid-South member Agency
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