October 21, 2003

At about 4 p.m. Eastern Time Tuesday, the Florida House voted to accept the wording of a Florida Senate measure that was approved minutes earlier authorizing the feeding tube of Terri Schiavo to be reinserted. Governor Jeb Bush immediately signed the bill, and Terri's feeding is being resumed.

The 39-year-old disabled woman was in her seventh day without food, following a judge's order that she be starved to death at the insistence of her husband, Michael Schiavo, who reportedly stands to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars from her death by medical euthanasia.

The stay of "execution" came in response to vocal public outrage at the starvation of Terri, who has been described in the media as comatose, yet can open her eyes and respond to sounds. Videotape of her seeming alertness--along with an outpouring of letters and e-mails of support--swayed Florida legislators to act during a special session convened for other business.

Michael Schiavo has responded by trying to block the implementation of "Terri's Bill" in court.

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