Source: https://compassionandchoices.org/resource/history-end-life-choice-movement/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 14:20:19+00:00

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Compassion & Choices is the leading nonprofit organization working to improve care and expand choice at the end of life. For more than 30 years we have worked to change attitudes, practices and policies so that everyone can access the information and options they need to have more control and comfort at the end of life.
A right-to-die bill is introduced in the Florida legislature, arousing extensive debate, but ultimately is unsuccessful.
Hospice, Inc. was founded in the United States.
The Hemlock Society, an end-of-life care organization for those suffering with incurable illnesses, forms. It later evolves into End-of-Life Choices, which in 2005 merges with Compassion in Dying to form Compassion & Choices, the largest organization in the United States advocating for people’s rights at the end of life.
Compassion in Dying develops and files two federal lawsuits — Glucksberg v. Washington2 and Quill v. NY3 — asserting that a mentally capable, terminally ill patient has a right protected by the constitutional guarantees of liberty, privacy and equal protection to choose aid in dying. The Federal District Court for the Western District of Washington rules that this right exists. The state of Washington appeals the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (in Glucksberg v. Washington)5 and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals (in Quill v. NY)6 both decide that the U.S. Constitution protects the choice of a capable, terminally ill patient to choose aid in dying. The states of New York and Washington appeal the decision in the U.S. Supreme Court.
The National Right-to-Life Committee challenges Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act, stalling implementation until the challenge is dismissed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Oregon Legislature puts a measure on the ballot to rescind the law, but it is defeated by 60 percent of the voters. Later that year, Compassion in Dying client “Helen” becomes the first person to use the law to die peacefully.
In Glucksberg v. Washington7 and Attorney General Vacco of New York v. Quill8, the U.S. Supreme Court declines to find federal constitutional protection for medical aid in dying and refers the issue to the states. However, the court recognizes a federal constitutional right for dying patients to receive as much pain medication as necessary to obtain relief, even if this advances time of death.
Attorney General John Ashcroft issued a directive in 2001 to prevent the Oregon Death With Dignity Act from being implemented. The state of Oregon sued to stop the directive, joined by a group of terminally ill Oregonians and represented by Compassion & Choices. Federal District Court Judge Robert E. Jones in Oregon v. Ashcroft10 rules against the Ashcroft directive rebuking the federal government for its attempt to “stifle an ongoing, earnest and profound debate in the various states” concerning aid in dying.
Medical associations begin to adopt policies that support aid in dying, including The American Women’s Medical Association, the American Public Health Association and The American Medical Students’ Association.
Compassion & Choices becomes a member in the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation’s premier coalition promoting and protecting civil and human rights in the United States.
Compassion & Choices led the effort to block congressional interference and an attempt to overturn the bill shortly after its passage.
Compassion & Choices merged with DeathWise, a nonprofit that helps people plan for the end of their lives with interactive online tools and resources.
In Congress, C&C achieved its first federal win in a decade by staving off a Resolution of Disapproval to nullify D.C.’s medical aid-in-dying law, then successfully mobilized thousands of supporters to call on representatives to reject a matching amendment passed by the House Appropriations Committee.
Hawai‘i became the eighth state in the U.S. to authorize medical aid in dying with the passage of the Our Care, Our Choice Act. The law was 20 years in the making, and passed the Hawai‘i House of Representatives with a vote of 39-12, and the Senate with a vote of 23-2. The Our Care, Our Choice Act was signed by Governor David Ige on April 5.
New Jersey became the ninth jurisdiction in the U.S. to authorize medical aid in dying when Governor Phil Murphy signed the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act into law on April 12, 2019.

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