Since her passing, my thoughts and prayers have been with all of Ms. Schiavo's many friends and family who obviously cared deeply for her. Her life and death were examples of the deeply personal, heart-wrenching health care issues that so many families encounter.

There were people of conscience on both sides of this issue and on both sides of the aisle.  For more than two years, I have worked on the issues surrounding the Schiavo case. While serving in the Florida State Senate in October 2003, I objected as the Florida Legislature inserted itself into this heartbreaking, private family matter.  It was inappropriate and outrageous then and it remains inappropriate for the United States Congress or any partisan legislative body to insert itself into end-of-life, personal family decisions.

Several judges heard the Schiavo case.  During the first trial, each side had an opportunity to present their case.  The court determined that there was clear and convincing evidence that Mrs. Schiavo would not have wanted to be sustained by medical intervention and that she would have chosen to have the feeding tube removed.  The second trial was based on the parents claim that she would 'change her mind' if she were aware of new therapies available.  Again, the court determined that there were no therapies presented that provided any reasonable chance of restoring Terri's brain function.  These decisions were upheld during each appeal in state and federal courts.

Physicians hired by Terri Schiavo's  husband and an independent physician appointed by the courts agreed that the irreversible deterioration left Mrs. Schiavo without thought or feelings - her reflexes were involuntary.  The physicians hired by Mrs. Schiavo's parents do not argue these facts, but they claimed that there were new therapies that could improve her condition. Two separate trials found these claims of potential improvement to be unfounded. 

The Congress is not an objective body.  It is a partisan, political body.  Our Members are not doctors or bioethicists.  We are elected officials.  The Congress is not the appropriate venue to decide end-of-life or any private, personal family dispute.  That is why there are court reviews which allow for an objective evaluation of both sides of a dispute.  The Congress was never designed for, and our Founding Fathers never intended, the body to make these kinds of decisions. 

What was lost in the midst of this debate was that this was not about pro-life interest groups, or about the parents or the husband.  It wasn't about the President, or the Governor, or the Republican or Democratic party. It was about a personal family tragedy.

I am worried about the direction our country is moving in.

I am worried when members of Congress and the President try to overstep over twenty court rulings on a case that had gone on for years.

I am worried when special interest groups exploit a family tragedy for political and financial gain.

I am worried when the federal government attempts to step between a husband and a wife because members of Congress believe they know better.

How can you stop this from happening in your family?

Regardless of your age, every adult should sit down with their family members and fill out an "Advance Directive" or "Living Will" that states very clearly their decisions concerning health care, and designate a health care surrogate to act on their behalf.

For more information on Living Wills and Advance Directives contact the Florida Agency For Health Care Administration and request their document on "Health Care Advance Directives"

Florida Agency For Health Care Administration:

Internet: http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/MCHQ/Health_Facility_Regulation/HC_Advance_Directives/

Phone: (888) 419-3456

Mail:               Agency for Health Care Administration

2727 Mahan Drive

Tallahassee, FL  32308