WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Douglas R. Scott, president of Life Decisions International (LDI), today called recent action by Congress and President George W. Bush to save the life of Terri Schindler Schiavo "decisive and heroic." Scott said Congress and the President "did the right thing" by acting to protect the constitutional rights of the disabled Florida woman.

"The overwhelming, bipartisan support for the measure is encouraging," Scott said. "It indicates that most Americans understand that Mike Schiavo and his lawyer simply want to kill this wonderful woman whom they apparently believe is in the way of their personal agendas." Scott said that anytime you can get a unanimous vote in the Senate and nearly 80 percent of the House to agree on a bill, it is clear that a consensus exists.

Scott said Congress and the President have every right to intervene in what Mike Schiavo is calling a "personal and private" affair. "If a judge takes an action to kill an innocent human being, it is not only the right of the elected representatives of the people to intervene, it is their sworn duty." Scott urged the President and Florida Governor Jeb Bush to use any means necessary to save Schindler Schiavo's life. "This case may lead to a constitutional crisis, pitting the executive and legislative branches against the judicial branch. But this would be a good time to make it very clear to activist judges that they are not gods. These judges need to understand that no matter how they choose to interpret the letter of the law, it is quite possible that they are mistaken."

"The judicial branch does not have an army," Scott said. "If it becomes necessary, the President or the Governor should use the National Guard to physically protect its citizens. We should say to Judge George W. Greer, 'Thank you for your opinion, but those men and women who were elected to make and enforce laws could not disagree with your more.'" At the same time, Scott said he wanted to condemn, "in the strongest possible terms," those who have threatened to do physical harm to the judge or his family.

Scott urged everyone to remember that even if Terri Schindler Schiavo had prepared a written directive saying she would not want to live in such a condition, the response should be the same. "Thankfully, physician-assisted is illegal in Florida. Terri is not terminally ill. Terri is not in pain. Terri simply needs nutrition and hydration like the rest of us. Regardless of who thinks Terri would be better off dead, even if this included Terri herself, no one is permitted to take an action or inaction that will kill someone."

While Scott had praise for Congress, the President, and Governor Bush, the pro-life leader continues to be critical of the Florida Catholic Conference and Bishop Robert N. Lynch in particular. "If the Florida bishops had any moral backbone and leadership, they would physically stand at Terri's door and say they will do everything in their power to protect this child of God," Scott said. "This is not a case of stepping back and letting Terri 'go be with God,' this is a case of killing her. Bishop Lynch should stand at Terri's door and say, 'Anyone who professes to be Catholic but is working to kill Terri will be excommunicated, period, and I will personally do it!'" Scott said that urging people to pray is wonderful, but "true leaders would not tell people to pray and do nothing more."

Criticism of Bishop Lynch was not restricted to his inaction. "Maybe Bishop Lynch can explain why we have received confirmed reports that students who were distributing pamphlets at St. Petersburg area parishes on March 13 were physically turned away at many parishes? Why did a priest at St. Jerome's order the students to leave? Why were police called to order students to stop passing our flyers at St. Matthew's? Why did a priest at another area parish say to the Catholic school students, 'Our people here do not want to know about Terri Schiavo' before being ordered off church property?" The flyer in question consisted of a depiction of Jesus on the cross on one side and Terri Schilder Schiavo's on the other with the caption, "I thirst."

"Bishop Lynch, I have one more question for you," Scott said. "Did you or anyone working on your behalf, including your lawyers, give a directive that the distribution of materials regarding Terri Schindler Schiavo was to be barred?" Scott said he would like to hear from Bishop Lynch on this matter. "If the bishop did not take such action, maybe he can explain why students were met by the same response at virtually all of the parishes. If the bishop did take such action, maybe he can explain why he would do something so incomprehensible."

Scott realizes that Terri Schindler Schiavo's fight is not yet won. "We are all thrilled, but there are other battles ahead. This may just be a stay of execution." He also said Terri's plight "does not show that people should write a living will. Rather, this situation shows that people should be very careful about the kind of person they marry. If a person is not 100 percent certain that his or her fiancé is of strong moral character, it is time to say, 'Next!'"