mr. speaker , while i was at home this weekend , my little 2-year-old girl wanted me to take her for a walk . 
i looked forward to having some `` daddy time '' with her . 
but before we could leave , she fell asleep on our stairway . 
i picked her up , cradled her , and brought her to her bed . 
as i looked at her precious little face , i thought of terri schiavo 's mother and father : how they must have cradled their little girl , loved her , watched her grow , given her hand in marriage . 
but , mr. speaker , as we are all now familiar , terri 's life met with terrible tragedy . 
a debilitating illness left her incapacitated , a medical system has not protected her , and a judicial system has betrayed her . 
and through this all , terri 's mother and father are still there with their little girl , loving her , caring for her , asking only for one simple thing : do not starve her to death . 
give her food , give her water , ordinary care for a living person . 
mr. speaker , impoverished judicial reasoning has created the need for a new law , granting to terri the same right given to death row inmates to appeal . 
given the complexity of who should have final say over terri 's life , an estranged husband who is now in a common law marriage , or her loving parents , it is only reasonable that additional levels of appeal be given . 
mr. speaker , i wish to thank our leadership for their exhaustive efforts on terri 's behalf , for their willingness to stand for a compassionate society that protects its most weak and vulnerable members . 
mr. speaker , let us join terri 's mother and father and cradle terri in the arms of a just and good decision . 
