mr. speaker , this is a profound tragedy for the schiavo family , and i sympathize with all of the family members . 
it is also a deeply personal matter , one which should be decided within the family . 
no one wants this personal decision to be made by 536 politicians : 435 members of the house , 100 members of the senate , and the president of the united states . 
the facts of this tragedy , and the competing wishes of the family members , have already been determined by those best placed to do so . 
those determinations have been repeatedly ratified over the past 7 years , by 19 judges in more than 10 trials , appeals or other proceedings . 
none of those decisions have been reversed , until today . 
in an unprecedented procedure , the united states house of representatives and the united states senate are voting to direct a federal court to relitigate this entire matter . 
there are deeply personal and private issues that are discussed by every married couple . 
these discussions occur in bedrooms across america . 
also , intensely personal decisions are made in hospital and hospice rooms across this country . 
by forcing this vote through congress , the republican leadership is demonstrating that no bedroom in america and no hospital room in this land is beyond the reach and power of this federal government . 
this is wrong . 
the republican leadership has transformed a profound tragedy for the schiavo family into a tragedy for the entire nation . 
it is my hope that from this tragedy more people will understand the importance of determining their own futures and that of their family in the form of living wills . 
