In a desperate attempt to keep Terri Schiavo hooked up to her feeding tube, Senate Republicans subpoenaed Terri Schiavo, the woman who has been in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years, to 'testify' before Congress.

The hearing is scheduled before the Senate Health Committee on March 28. Both Terri and her husband and guardian Michael Schiavo have been ordered to appear before the committee. While Ms. Schiavo is obviously incapable of giving testimony, the Republicans hoped that by subpoenaing here, they would prevent the removal of her feeding tube, scheduled for 1:00 PM this afternoon.

'It is a contempt of Congress to prevent or discourage someone from following the subpoena that's been issued,' David Gibbs, the attorney for Terri's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, said. 'What the U.S. Congress is saying is, `We want to see Terri Schiavo.'' He then added, 'The family is prayerfully excited about their daughter going before the United States Congress for the whole world to see how alive she is.'

Michael Schiavo's attorneys and lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union are trying to determine if the subpoenas would actually prevent the scheduled removal of the feeding tube.

Howard Simon, the executive director of the ACLU told the Associated Press, 'This is clearly an effort to circumvent a lawful court order by a state judge,' Simon said. 'I am not sure how a subpoena, which is ordinarily done to produce records or somebody to testify, can essentially have the effect of an injunction overriding the orders of a court.'

Florida lawmakers have also joined the fight. The Florida House passed a measure making it illegal to disconnect food or hydration from a patient in a persistent vegetative state without a specific written directive from the patient. The bill was defeated in the Florida Senate, however, so it cannot take effect.

Terri Schiavo has been in a persistent vegetative state since 1990. According to court appointed medical experts, she has no hope for improvement or recovery. Her husband, Michael Schiavo, says that his wife told him she would not want to be kept alive in that state. However, she left no written document expressing her wishes.

The case has been ongoing for years and everybody from Governor Jeb Bush to the Vatican has weighed in on the issue. President Bush added his two cents today when he told reporters, 'those who live at the mercy of others deserve our special care and concern.'