mr. speaker , on this sunday , i have looked into my heart and listened to my god in prayer , and spoken to my pastor and other parishioners in church . 
my decision this evening is an intensely personal one , in terms of life . 
as a father , husband , grandfather , and son in law , i have searched my soul about what the family must be going through . 
as a member of congress , i know it is in our hands to offer what is the ultimate hope for this young woman . 
we can not guarantee how the courts will rule , but we must offer all avenues for review and hope . 
we would ask nothing less for any case involving the rights of a person . 
we must be compassionate about life , the life of all individuals . 
this is a tragic situation , but this young woman is not on life support , she is not on a respirator , she is not terminally ill , and she has been deprived of the physical therapy that might allow her to swallow and eat without a feeding tube . 
to look at her eyes is to see an individual who seems to be experiencing joy and awareness of others . 
as a parent , if she were my daughter , i would want her to live , and give her a chance . 
she has demonstrated the will and the spirit to live . 
it is right and just that we have a final set of eyes to review the case . 
the constitution gives congress the right to set the jurisdiction of the courts . 
