Below is a message that went out this morning from the Patients Rights Action Fund regarding the continuing battle against physician assisted suicide. Another evidence that God is on the throne. We are thankful and praise God for this victory.
Many more battles in this war are to come. I testified this last Tuesday at the Connecticut Public Health Committee hearing and I believe that we will be successful in seeing this bill rejected, but we don't take these victories for granted and continue to work.
St Augustine has been quoted as saying: "Work as if everything depended on you and pray as if everything depended on God".
The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Health held a poll vote today and the result is that both the House and Senate assisted suicide bills were sent to a study committee, effectively killing the bills for this legislative session! This is a huge victory – Massachusetts was one of the big targeted states for Compassion and Choices.
The odds were formidable: 40 bill sponsors, the media, and four full-time paid employees working for Compassion and Choices in the state. The Massachusetts Alliance did a commendable job in defeating the bills. Many testified at a public hearing; 25 doctors held a Doctors' Day at the State House; the doctors and members of the disability community visited committee members on a continual basis; the disability community die legislative briefings; and constituents held district meetings with committee members. The Patients Rights Action Fund assisted the Alliance in training and strategy and put together the Doctor’s Day. Aides said that in the end, they were counting calls asking for the bills to be defeated which contributed significantly to the defeat. Congratulations and kudos to the Massachusetts Alliance Against Doctor-Prescribed Suicide, Second Thoughts Massachusetts and our physicians.