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I noted that Pope John Paull II was quoted by a Republican during the debate and thought I would offer additional information for any that might be interested. The Catholic Church teaches that all living humans inherently created in God's image possess dignity that is recognized and respected immutably. Thus, to suggest one could provide the dying 'dignity' by facilitating their death to circumvent suffering or hardship would be but errant morally relative argument. Additionally, the Church teaches that artificial nutrition and hydration is not extraordinary care and as such removal of artificial nutrition and hydration would be tantamount to "procuring death" (murder) rather than "permitting death":

Here are some linked documents that can answer any questions:

Declaration on Euthanasia

Respect for the dignity of the dying

The approach to the gravely ill and the dying must therefore be inspired by the respect for the life and the dignity of the person. It should pursue the aim of making proportionate treatment available but without engaging in any form of "overzealous treatment" (cf. CCC, n. 2278). One should accept the patient's wishes when it is a matter of extraordinary or risky therapy which he is not morally obliged to accept. One must always provide ordinary care (including artificial nutrition and hydration), palliative treatment, especially the proper therapy for pain, in a dialogue with the patient which keeps him informed.
At the approach of death, which appears inevitable, "it is permitted in conscience to take the decision to refuse forms of treatment that would only secure a precarious and burdensome prolongation of life" (cf. Declaration on Euthanasia, part IV) because there is a major ethical difference between "procuring death" and "permitting death": the former attitude rejects and denies life, while the latter accepts its natural conclusion.

International Congress: Life-Sustaining Treatments and Vegetative State: Scientific Advances and Ethical Dilemmas