End of Life Options DC Condemns Congressional Vote to Repeal Death with Dignity in DC

End of Life Options DC strongly opposes the efforts in Congress to overturn the District of Columbia’s Death with Dignity Act, which for nearly a decade has given terminally ill people the option of a peaceful death.

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted 35-28 along party lines to repeal the D.C. law.  The action is a direct attack on the will of D.C. residents who, through their elected representatives, passed the Death with Dignity Act in 2016. It is one of 13 legislatures nationwide covering one third of Americans that have approved medical aid in dying.

The law, which was adopted 11-2 by the D.C. Council and overwhelmingly supported by its citizens, allows terminally ill, mentally capable adults to request and take medication to end their suffering peacefully, on their own terms. For nearly a decade, it has empowered patients and families to have meaningful end-of-life conversations and to make deeply personal decisions about their final days, free from political interference.

The committee included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill a rider to repeal D.C.’s Death with Dignity law along with other curbs on the city. The bill is now headed to the full U.S. House, which has a  September 30 deadline to vote on the measure.    

“We urge Congress to respect D.C.’s right to self-governance and to remove this harmful language from the appropriations bill. The inclusion of this rider not only undermines the autonomy of D.C. residents but also threatens access to compassionate, patient-centered care for those facing the most difficult moments of their lives,” Jane Euler, board chair of End of Life Options DC, said.

Medical aid in dying (MAID) is a legal and ethical option that has been safely practiced here in the District for almost a decade and for even longer in many other jurisdictions. It is supported by Americans nationwide, including major medical organizations.  A 2015 poll conducted by Lake Research showed that the majority of District residents support MAID and 76 percent agreed that it is “my choice to make the best medical decisions for myself in consultation with my doctor, my family, and my faith, including my end of life decisions.”

At End of Life Options DC, we are committed to educating patients, families, and clinicians about this law and ensuring its protections remain in place. We stand with our community and with all who believe that dignity, compassion, and personal choice should guide care at the end of life.

We call on Congress to remove the rider from the final FY26 appropriations package and to uphold the democratic rights of D.C. residents.

MAID for the terminally ill is legal in Oregon, Washington, California, Montana, New Mexico, Hawaii, Colorado, Vermont, Maine, Delaware, New Jersey and Washington, DC.  The New York State Assembly also has approved the option and the bill awaits the

governor’s signature.

Contacts:End of Life Options DC

www.endoflifeoptionsdc.org

Media Contact:  Stella Dawson

(202) 230 7832 or

stellahdawson@gmail.com