Legislative Background
Recent Action on Assisted Suicide Legislation
An Oregon law approved by voters in two ballot votes, one in 1994 and another in 1997, has been the impetus for debate in Congress over the legality of physician-assisted suicide. The Oregon statute legalizes physician-assisted suicide under certain circumstances for mentally competent, terminally ill patients. Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act. Congress’s first response came in April 1997, with passage of the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act, sponsored by Representative Ralph Hall (TX-D), to ban the use of Federal funds for assisted suicide. Since no Federal agency actually funds assisted suicide, the bill, which was signed into law as P.L….
