Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com). Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it exclusively produces is in the public domain. US Court Rejects Appeal Over Brain Damaged Woman's Feeding Tube --------------------------------------------------------------- http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C65225:2AB91D3 Terri Schiavo has been in a vegetative state since suffering a heart attack in 1990 A federal appeals court in Atlanta, Georgia has ruled against a motion to re-insert a feeding tube in a brain-damaged Florida woman. The case of Terri Schiavo now moves to the U.S. Supreme Court. In a two-to-one majority decision, a three judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the parents of the forty-one-year-old woman had "failed to demonstrate a substantial case on the merits of any of their claims." However, a dissenting judge on the panel wrote that refusing the request to have the feeding tube re-inserted amounts to "frustrating Congress' intent." On Sunday an emergency session of the U.S. Congress convened to pass emergency legislation allowing the brain-damaged Florida woman's parents to take their case into federal courts. Lawyers for Terri Schiavo's parents said her death by starvation and dehydration would constitute a "mortal sin" under her Roman Catholic beliefs, and would, therefore, violate her religious liberties under the U.S. Constitution. Ms. Schiavo's parents have submitted their case to the U.S. Supreme Court. They are also asking the Florida state senate to remove Michael Schiavo as his wife's legal guardian. Ms. Schiavo's mother, Mary Schindler says time is running out for her daughter. "Please senators, for the love of God, I am begging you, do not let my daughter die of thirst," she said. On Tuesday a federal judge found that Terri Schiavo's "life and liberty" interests had been protected by Florida courts, which have ruled consistently in favor of her husband Michael, who has been seeking to remove his wife's feeding tube, arguing that it was not her wish not to be kept alive in her current state. Mr. Schiavo's attorney, George Felos told reporters all legal issues surrounding the case have been exhausted. "Every possible issue in this case has been litigated and re-litigated over and over again," he said. "If we had a hundred lawyers enter the case the result would be no different because there are no new issues, there are no new things for any court to review." A majority of court-appointed physicians who have examined Terri Schiavo report that she has been in what doctors call a persistent vegetative state since 1990, when her heart stopped briefly, from a chemical imbalance believed to have been brought on by an eating disorder. They say since then, she has suffered irreparable brain damage. Ms. Schiavo's parents say they believe she could recover some functions with therapy. Terri Schiavo has been without food or water since Friday, although medical experts say it could take a week or longer for her to die if her feeding tube is not reconnected. .