Congress Hatches Last-Minute Rescue for Terri Schindler Schiavo?

According to CNSNews.com, leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives have come up with a last-minute plan to rescue Terri Schindler Schiavo, who is scheduled to have her feeding tube disconnected today:

Both the House and the Senate have passed bills that might save Terri Schindler Schiavo [NOTE: see this blog, March 09 - "Terri Schiavo Case Goes to Congress"], but the different versions of the legislation have not been reconciled and probably won't be until next month -- too late to save the brain-damaged woman whose feeding tube is supposed to be disconnected today.

But House Speaker Dennis Hastert and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay announced a backup plan early Friday morning.

They said the Committee on Government Reform has launched an inquiry into the long-term care of incapacitated adults, and as part of that inquiry, the committee will issue a subpoena Friday morning requiring doctors to keep Terri's feeding tube connected.

[More]

In a related story, the Drudge Report says today that U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming) has subpoenaed Terri to appear before the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee. According to Drudge, the subpoena "triggers legal or statutory protections for the witness, among those protections is that nothing can be done to cause harm or death to this individual."

In addition, Drudge reports that some members of Congress have met with the U.S. Attorney in D.C. "to ask for a temporary restraining order to be issued by a judge, which protects Terri Schiavo from having her life support, including her feeding and hydration tubes, removed."

All of this comes on the heals of President Bush's statement released yesterday regarding Terri Schiavo's condition:

... in instances like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws, and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life. Those who live at the mercy of others deserve our special care and concern. It should be our goal as a nation to build a culture of life, where all Americans are valued, welcomed, and protected and that culture of life must extend to individuals with disabilities.

Last, and most importantly, over at Amy Welborn's blog, Mark Windsor has provided several Prayers for Terri. Please do keep Terri in your prayers today.