Assisted Suicide Becomes Legal in Washington D.C., for Now

Assisted suicide is legal and available in Washington D.C., for the time being, according to the Washington Post. 

Doctors are now allowed to begin the process of prescribing life-ending drugs to terminally ill patients, but Republicans in Congress are fighting back. 

The rules and regulations to implement the law took effect Monday, adding the district to six other states that currently allow for assisted suicide. 

A U.S. House panel voted a week ago to try to overturn the city's Death With Dignity Act. But the House, Senate and President Trump must approve the repeal before it can take effect. 

Congress has oversight for D.C. since it's not a state and is the location of the nation's capital.

When assisted suicide became legal on Monday, the D.C. Health Department launched a website where physicians can register to participate in the "Death With Dignity" program, and where doctors and pharmacists can read the laws and requirements as well as download related forms. 

Patients must be older than 18 with less than six months to live to be eligible, and they must make two requests at least 15 days apart for the life-ending medications. 

Suicide candidates must ingest the drug on their own, with two witnesses who can attest they're making the decision voluntarily. 

The law also requires the city to track requests and it is expected to take at least three weeks for a patient to get the life-ending drugs after starting the process. 

President Trump's budget proposal prohibits funding for the D.C. law, which was supposed to take effect beginning in late September.