mr. speaker , many families have had to make incredibly difficult decisions regarding medical support for their loved ones .  as technology continues to advance , there will be even more heart-wrenching decisions ahead , and any of us could be involved in one .  the proper role of the federal government in such decisions is not self-evident to me .  certainly , we should not have congress debate , case-by-case , what action is or is not appropriate for a particular patient .  government at some level may have a role to ensure that the patient is not the victim of a spouse or family members who find the patient 's medical disability inconvenient .  my view is that when in doubt , society should err on the side of life .  i am concerned that in this case most members of congress have not had the opportunity for careful study and consideration of the issues raised .  it has come before us late , when time is short and the consequences of various steps are unclear .  here , i will vote for the bill before us .  my understanding is that the measure is narrowly drawn and will set no precedent .  it essentially provides for another look at the unusual facts of this case without dictating a result .  it is very distressing that anyone would look at these matters from a political viewpoint .  core beliefs about when life begins and ends are far too important for any such calculations .  in fact , i hope each citizen will spend time thinking about how our country can best deal with such cases and praying that we get it right .  