Wyden Blocks Legislation to Overturn Oregon’s Physician Aid in Dying Law

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today took swift action to prevent the U.S. Senate from considering legislation that squarely takes aim at Oregon’s physician aid in dying law and the will of the state’s voters.

“We are just two months from Election Day in which local, state, and federal elections will be held. Many states will have numerous ballot initiatives covering every issue imaginable. Voters need to know they can debate even the most emotional wrenching issues through the ballot process and have their election results respected,” Wyden said.

This proposed legislation sends voters the message that if Congress doesn’t like the conclusion your state comes to through a ballot initiative, your vote doesn’t matter. I intend to make sure the votes of Oregonians matter.” Wyden continued, “The bottom line is that my colleagues should respect my state’s decision once and for all.”

Wyden today placed a “hold” on legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) that would overturn Oregon’s unique Death with Dignity Act. The hold blocks the legislation from being voted on without 60 senators voting to lift the hold.

Wyden, who opposed physician aid in dying as an Oregon voter because of its potential impact on the poor elderly, said his fears had not been realized because of safeguards in the Act that appear to have worked well in preventing potential abuses.

“There is no constitutional issue at stake in this debate. It was a debate between the voters of Oregon at their dinner tables and at the ballot box,” Wyden said. “When a state has spoken as clearly as ours has on this difficult issue, a Senator from one state should not seek to overturn another state’s law based on his personal beliefs.”

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The Truthmeister September 11, 2006 12:06 am (Pacific time)

eqriddler, you have no concept of the intent of this twice-passed Oregon voter approved law. Stop throwing out the ages of children; it is nothing but another BS conservative spin. People reading this, remember not to listen to anyone from this guy's camp. They elected a loser of a president who has all but ruined the nation and the world. Brownback is evil and it is time for people to pull their heads out into the light and see things for what they are... If a republican is involved, your rights as Americans are at stake. They believe in state's rights only as an election platform and they do not follow through on anything!! But they do send your sons and daughters off to war, something not a single one of those chickenhawks has any experience with. It was all wrong, we have all been had, but you can be sure guys like eqriddler here were involved in putting them in office. End the regime! End the Bush/Cheney facism! There is not one solitary good thing about them. Iraq didn't send planes into New York, they were a peaceful country. Most people are putting it together now and understanding that it was almost certainly an inside job anyway. Passports of "Arab Terrorists" floating to the New York streets intact when they are made of paper? And the flight recorders weren't recovered? No wreckage of the supposed 757 that allegedly hit the Pentagon? It was a missle folks. If you want to know who killed Americans in New York on 9/11, ask Bush. Riddler indeed, riddler my ass!

eqriddler September 10, 2006 11:42 pm (Pacific time)

Oregonians voted but were wrong because they are generally liberal and voted party loyalty. On the surface, it seems humane to euthinize some. But, politically it becomes hard to determine where to draw the line. First its the terminal, then it's the pain afflicted, then the deformed, then the depressed, then the weak and poor, then the wrong race, then the elderly then the unwanted whoever, the inconveinent under age 2,then age 4 then age 6 etc. The order I just laid out is random but the point is politcally, we have the power to choose what order to put them in and choose we will. So, it was wrong.

Blackhill September 6, 2006 6:15 pm (Pacific time)

Senator Brownback is posturing for his conservative base for the upcoming elections.

Lela September 6, 2006 5:11 pm (Pacific time)

Isn't that why we vote? Congress should accept what the voters have chosen and if we decide to change our mind the next time, then that is our choice - as voters.

Julie September 6, 2006 12:27 pm (Pacific time)

Leave us alone Brownback!

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