Rogers / 3 Senator Graham

S.S._____

A BILL
To allow euthanasia to be prescribed to terminally ill patients.
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
This act may be cited as the End of Life Option Act of 2017.
SECTION 2. FINDINGS
Congress hereby finds and declares that,
1) To stop dying people from ending their lives when they are suffering unendurably is a denial of human
rights.
2) If a patient is competent to decide, nobody other than that patient should have the authority to decide
whether life is worth continuing.
3) If people are have the right to refuse life-saving treatments, they should also have the freedom to
choose to end their own lives.
4) Eligible patients must possess the mental capacity to give informed consent; cannot suffer from
depression; and must sign a written declaration, in front of two witnesses, stating that they are mentally
competent and acting voluntarily.
5) Health care cost is and will always be a concern for the family irrespective of euthanasia being
legalized.
6) The right to self-determination is bolstered by the addition of the right to privacy, which preserves
personal issues from public or state examination, as long as others' lives are not adversely affected.
7) 70% of Americans say a patient should have a choice to die under certain circumstances.
8) Legalizing euthanasia would help alleviate suffering of terminally ill patients, and it would be inhuman
and unfair to make them endure the unbearable pain.
9)Health care costs can be reduced, which would save estates and lower insurance premiums.
10) Death is a private matter and if there is no harm to others, the state and other people have no right to
interfere.
SECTION 3. STATUTORY LANGUAGE
A) The End of Life Option Act of 2017 shall allow terminally ill patients to request a prescription that
allows the patient to escape a life full of excruciating pain and permanent sufferin. The individual will
voluntarily express the wish to receive a prescription for an aid-in-dying drug.
A doctor will administer the prescription to the patient who will ingest the drug at full knowledge and
consent on their own terms. The request shall be witnessed by at least two other adults, and followed up
with a valid written request signed directly by the patient and also witnessed by at least two other adult
persons. No terminally ill patient shall be denied the right to end his or her suffering. No terminally ill
patient shall be forced to live a life that is of poor quality. No terminally ill patient shall be forced to endure
the pain the illness has brought upon them. No government shall have the right to decide if a terminally ill
patient's life is worth living. No physician shall be prosecuted for murder with clear evidence of consent
from the patient.
B) This law shall be administered by the Department of Health and enforced by the Department of Human
services. Funding for these prescriptions will be covered directly from the health care budget already put in
place.
C) The End of Life Option Act shall be enacted on January 1st 2018 and shall alleviate the harsh suffering
terminally ill patients are unable to escape.