The clock is ticking.
The companion resolutions in the U.S. Senate and House (HJ Res. 27 / SJ Res. 4,) to block the Washington, D.C. Death with Dignity Act are moving through the legislative process, getting closer and closer to a vote.
The same members of Congress who talk nonstop about small government and states’ rights are seeking to use their federal power and their personal views to override the will of the Washington, D.C. residents, whom they don’t even represent. Worse, more and more Representatives and Senators are signing on as co-sponsors. Whereas two members of Congress introduced the resolutions, last week their ranks grew to 13, and now there are 20 in all.
This attack on the District residents’ rights is a growing threat, and we must match its force—not just for the District, but to preserve the gains we’ve made since 1994. While we are actively working behind the scenes with our friends and allies in the D.C. Council and Congress, we need your help to preserve our victory in D.C.
Please call your members of Congress and urge them to vote against the SJ Res 4/HJ Res 27 resolution!
- To find your Representative, enter your ZIP code here and call the number that comes up.
- To find your Senators, look them up by state on this list and call both of them (you can also call 1-888-804-8311, enter your ZIP code, and get transferred automatically).
Once you are connected, tell the staffer on the line that you are a constituent and would like the Representative/Senator to know that you oppose the resolution to disapprove of the D.C. Death with Dignity Act. That’s it.
If you think, “I don’t live in D.C., this doesn’t concern me,” think again: We know from our experience in Oregon that if the D.C. bill goes down, a national ban on assisted dying may be next. Already, Rep. Wenstrup, the sponsor of the House resolution, has tweeted that, “Congress failing to act would imply federal approval of physician-assisted suicide.” These members of Congress are not just after Washington, D.C., they want to stop the growing momentum we’ve built in passing Death with Dignity laws across the country.
Your members of Congress are obligated to hear their constituents’ voices. All calls, both for and against, are tallied. If you do not make that call, the tally will give a mistaken impression that their constituents do not care about the issue or want them to vote differently. It’s much harder for your Representative/Senators to vote down the resolution if the only constituents they hear from are its supporters. Your call is especially critical if your members of Congress are leaning toward voting for the resolution. Nothing sways your electeds’ vote like overwhelming opposition from their constituents!
Please call your members of Congress and urge them to oppose H.J. Res 27/S.J. Res 4 today.
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