Elise Stefanik slams NY’s ‘disgusting’ assisted suicide bill, ‘culture of death’

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, derided the New York Assembly for passing assisted suicide legislation and is urging the state Senate to kill the proposal.

It passed 81-67 last week, with some Democrats joining Republicans in opposition.

“The New York State Assembly’s decision to pass this disgusting assisted suicide bill is a shameful attack on the sanctity of life and a betrayal of our most vulnerable citizens,” Stefanik said in a release.

“This radical legislation, driven by Governor Hochul’s Far Left allies, normalizes the termination of human life under the guise of ‘compassion,’ putting the elderly, disabled, and terminally ill at risk of coercion and despair.  

“As a proud pro-life advocate, I am appalled that Albany Democrats would prioritize this culture of death over protecting the dignity and worth of every New Yorker.” 

Stefanik said the bill undermines the sanctity of life, something she has fought for in Washington, D.C. She also said the state should work on improving palliative care and mental health instead of making death more attainable. 

“This legislation offers an immoral shortcut that devalues human life,” she said. “It sends a chilling message to our seniors and disabled communities that their lives are expendable.” 

Stefanik urged the New York Senate to reject the measure and affirm her support for pro-life policies. 

“New Yorkers deserve better than Far Left policies that erode our moral foundation and push families toward heartbreak,” she said. “I call on the State Senate to reject this dangerous bill and stand up for the voiceless.  

“As the representative of New York’s 21st District, I will continue to champion life at every stage and fight against the extremist agenda of Hochul and her Albany Democrats. We must restore New York’s commitment to the protection of all its citizens.” 

Gov. Kathy Hochul has not yet said if she supports assisted suicide. 

It’s also unclear if the votes to pass the bill exist in the New York Senate, Spectrum News reports, as some of the body’s Democrat members oppose it. 

Currently, 10 states permit assisted suicide, and states have expanded the scope of the practice since legalizing it. 

Notably, Oregon and Vermont eliminated their assisted suicide residency requirements for out-of-staters in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, Colorado passed a law in 2024 that cut the waiting period between oral requests from 15 days to seven, allowed waivers for certain patients, and let advanced practice registered nurses prescribe assisted suicide. 

Canada legalized assisted suicide in 2016. By 2022, it had become the country’s fifth-leading cause of death, rising from 1,018 cases in 2016 to 13,241 in 2022.