Associated Press

WASHINGTON - In a move that many Democrats decried as political grandstanding, the House voted Thursday to bar federal funding for the already-illegal practice of assisted suicide.

Republicans such as U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood said the action was necessary to pre-empt a possible Supreme Court ruling allowing funding for the practice.

But beyond that, Dr. Norwood said, it may be an area best left to families and their physicians.

Most Democrats ended up joining the one-sided 398-16 vote for passage, indicating the strong distaste for doctor-assisted suicide among lawmakers. But the result masked a strongly partisan division over the bill's relevance.

``It was just to make sure we got out in front of this thing,'' Dr. Norwood said. The Supreme Court is expected to rule this summer on two Appeals Court cases that struck down bans in Washington state and New York. That ruling could affect laws in 42 states, including Georgia, which specifically outlaw assisted suicide. The practice is considered illegal in South Carolina because of case law. Federal courts also are studying a 1994 referendum in Oregon approving the practice.

As with abortion, a ruling in favor of funding for assisted suicide could open it up for federal or state billing, Dr. Norwood said.

``I do think, if they rule it is a right, that we don't need to collect tax money to help in this,'' he said.

Other supporters echoed Dr. Norwood that ``federal dollars appropriated for programs such as Medicaid and Medicare could be used to promote death instead of what we should be concentrating on, preserving life,'' said Rep. Mike Bilirakis, R-Fla.

``There is a danger here,'' said one Democrat, Ralph Hall of Texas, a sponsor of the bill. The courts, he said, ``get the last guess as to what the law is. If they guess wrong on this, you can open up the Treasury to every Dr. (Jack) Kevorkian all across this country.''

But other Democrats argued that the bill was meaningless because assisted suicides are now illegal and Medicare and Medicaid would not fund the practice even if it were allowed. They said Republicans were avoiding the real issue - a need for more mental-health funding.

``In short, this bill essentially prohibits nothing. It is typical of the last two Republican Congresses, legislating a solution in search of a problem,'' said Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

``It does nothing to address the real problems in our society that cause people to seek suicide or assisted death,'' said Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif. ``It is a sham, it is a shame, we are a sad, sad Congress if we pass this bill.''

Working in health care for decades as a dentist, Dr. Norwood said, he may be more familiar with the issue than many of his colleagues.

``This has been going on for many, many years, (but) it's not something that was talked about,'' he said. ``As a health care professional I have thought about it, about the rights of a dying patient and the aid a good physician can bring to them.

``I've always sort of felt like that was a useful thing that the medical community can do for patients. But until Kevorkian, it was not one of those things that was always talked about or published.''

And perhaps that's the way it should stay - between the families of dying, suffering patients and their doctors, he said.

``Sometimes passing a law is just not the best way to handle things,'' Dr. Norwood said.

The White House said President Clinton does not support assisted suicide and would not oppose the legislation, which it called a reaffirmation of current policy prohibiting federal funds for assisted suicide and euthanasia. The measure still requires action by the Senate.

The legislation states that whatever happens in the courts, no federal funds will be used to pay for assisted suicide. Supporters pointed out that it does not affect funding for alleviating pain or discomfort for patients. It also authorizes research into pain treatment and suicide prevention and requires a federal study of how health care professionals are trained in end-of-life care.

At the committee level, Democrats had sought more, saying one way to reduce assisted suicide was to provide more mental health training. They proposed that federal money be withheld from medical schools that do not train doctors in dealing with endof-life pain and depression

Staff Writer Tom Corwin contributed to this article.