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 .  