[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 18 (Monday, May 5, 1997)]
[Pages 617-618]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act of 
1997

April 30, 1997

    Today I am signing into law H.R. 1003, the ``Assisted Suicide 
Funding Restriction Act of 1997,'' which reaffirms current Federal 
policy banning the use of Federal funds to pay for assisted suicide, 
euthanasia, or mercy killing.
    This is appropriate legislation. Over the years, I have clearly 
expressed my personal opposition to assisted suicide, and I continue to 
believe that assisted suicide is wrong. While I have deep sympathy for 
those who suffer greatly from incurable illness, I believe

[[Page 618]]

that to endorse assisted suicide would set us on a disturbing and 
perhaps dangerous path. This legislation will ensure that taxpayer 
dollars will not be used to subsidize or promote assisted suicide. The 
Act will, among other things, ban the funding of assisted suicide, 
euthanasia, or mercy killing through Medicaid, Medicare, military and 
Federal employee health plans, the veterans health care system, and 
other Federally funded programs.

    Section 5(a)(3) of the Act also assures that taxpayer funds will not 
be used to subsidize legal assistance or other forms of advocacy in 
support of legal protection for assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy 
killing. The restrictions on the use of funds contained in this section, 
properly construed, will allow the Federal Government to speak with a 
clear voice in opposing these practices. The Department of Justice has 
advised, however, that a broad construction of this section would raise 
serious First Amendment concerns. I am therefore instructing the Federal 
agencies that they should construe section 5(a)(3) only to prohibit 
Federal funding for activities and services that provide legal 
assistance for the purpose of advocating a right to assisted suicide, or 
that have as their purpose the advocacy of assisted suicide, and not to 
restrict Federal funding for other activities, such as those that 
provide forums for the free exchange of ideas. In addition, I emphasize 
that section 5(a)(3) imposes no restriction on the use of nonfederal 
funds.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
April 30, 1997.

Note: H.R. 1003, approved April 30, was assigned Public Law No. 105-12.