mr. speaker , i yield myself such time as i may consume .  mr. speaker , for those of us from florida , the heart-wrenching case involving terri schiavo is not new .  in fact , for 15 years mrs. schiavo has remained in a persistent vegetative state .  for 7 years the courts and the state of florida have heard , ad nauseam , arguments of both sides .  there is this perception possibly that only one judge has been involved in this case .  in fact , 19 judges in the state of florida have participated in various legal proceedings regarding terri schiavo .  the state of florida , through our court system , has acted deliberatively , with justice and with due care .  the state of florida , through our judicial system , has taken testimony from everyone in the family and from everyone who knew mrs. schiavo that was capable of giving it .  the courts in florida have received expert testimony from many of the most prominent neurosurgeons and neurologists throughout the entire country .  the court system and the 19 judges in florida have been unanimous , unanimous , in stating that from the evidence provided by a standard of clear and convincing evidence , that it is mrs. schiavo 's wish that she not be required to continue in a persistent vegetative state .  so i would respectfully suggest for those of us that take exception to the proposed action by the chairman of the committee on the judiciary and by this congress that we stand in the shoes of terri schiavo .  we stand in her shoes , because what we are simply arguing is that the will of terri schiavo , as found by the legal system of florida , which is the law of the land as of now , that her will be respected and that her will be carried out .  with all due respect to the proposed remedy , in effect if this bill were to pass what this congress is designating is that the court system of florida will lose its long history of jurisdiction of this matter and others like it , and the jurisdiction of the federal court will be substituted .  the majority would argue that this is a principal position .  and while i would not dare suggest otherwise , i would ask the question , if the florida courts had found in favor of terri schiavo 's parents , would we be here this evening ?  i suspect not .  so it is fair to conclude , therefore , that the reason we are here this evening is that the majority is unhappy , objects to the decision rightfully reached by the courts of the state of florida ; and as a result , the majority wishes to undermine over 200 years of jurisprudence and a long history in this country for respect for our judicial independence as well as the states court systems and the jurisdictions assigned to it .  in closing , mr. speaker , i would simply suggest this one thing , this is heart-wrenching for all americans .  each american i believe tonight and today has been searching his or her soul wondering how they would react if , god forbid , they were in this position .  but the issue before this congress is not an emotional one .  it is simply one that respects the rule of law , the rule of law in the state of florida , the rule of law which has involved the participation of 19 judges , all unanimous in their view .  not a single medical piece of evidence has been provided by anybody who has diagnosed or in person witnessed mrs. schiavo that has said anything other than that she persists in an vegetative state .  and yet this congress seeks to replace and substitute our judgment , even though not a single one of us as far as i understand has ever diagnosed mrs. schiavo , nor do we have the medical expertise to do so ; and yet we are willing tonight to replace with our judgment the judgment of the most prominent doctors in our country and a court system which has labored extensively to yield a just result .  mr. speaker , i reserve the balance of my time .  