House Passes Ban on All Human Cloning

[Guest guest]

Comments?

Misty

http://www..com

 

House Passes Ban on All Human Cloning

By JANELLE CARTER, Associated Press Writer

 

WASHINGTON - The House passed a Bush administration-supported bill

that would ban all human cloning and sent the measure to the Senate,

where opponents predicted it would die as it did in the last

legislative session.

 

 

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., said the

241-155 vote Thursday in the House " sends the wrong message to

America's medical research community. "

 

 

" I remain confident that similar legislation will not pass the

United States Senate, " Feinstein said.

 

 

But Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record), R-Kan., said " the

Senate cannot afford to be silent any longer " on the issue.

 

 

Brownback, along with Sen. Mary Landrieu (news, bio, voting record),

D-La., has sponsored the Senate version of the bill banning all

human cloning.

 

 

Proponents in the Senate have conceded they do not have the 60 votes

necessary to end debate and force a vote on the bill. It also is

unclear how aggressively Majority Leader Bill Frist, a heart surgeon

from Tennessee who has taken a middle ground on embryo research

issues, will push the anti-cloning measure.

 

 

The House bill would ban all human cloning — for reproduction or

research — and impose a $1 million fine and a prison sentence of up

to 10 years for violators.

 

 

The measure passed the House 265-162 during the previous Congress

before stalling in the Senate.

 

 

Opponents of the bill offered an alternative that would allow

research, but it failed in a 231-174 vote.

 

 

The issue has divided lawmakers into two camps: those who want to

ban all human cloning and those who want an exception for research.

 

 

Backers of research have said an exception is needed so scientists

can continue to work toward cures for diseases like Alzheimer's,

Parkinson's and rheumatoid arthritis.

 

 

Those who maintain that all human cloning — even research — must be

banned argue that a cloned embryo is a human even before

implantation in the womb, and to destroy it for research would be

immoral.

 

 

" We cannot afford to treat the issue of human embryo cloning

lightly, " said Rep. Bart Stupak (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich.,

co-author with Rep. Dave Weldon (news, bio, voting record), R-Fla.,

of a complete ban bill. " The human race is not open to

experimentation at any level, even the molecular level. "

 

 

Rep. Sue Myrick (news, bio, voting record), R-N.C., said anything

other than a total ban " would license the most ghoulish and

dangerous enterprise in human history. "

 

 

" Congress must act now, " Myrick said. " We can no longer wait for

another biotech company to claim they have cloned children. "

 

 

But Rep. James McGovern (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., argued

that the bill would " close the door to important research. "

 

 

" I can't see how it is moral to look in the eyes of someone with

Alzheimer's or Parkinson's and say we're going to stand in the way, "

McGovern said.

 

 

 

 

 

President Bush (news - web sites) praised lawmakers for approving

the measure. " Today's resounding bipartisan vote in the House

demonstrates concern for the profound moral and social issues posed

by human cloning, " Bush said.

 

In cloning, genes from an adult cell are implanted into a human egg

from which all the genetic material has been removed. The egg is

then cultured into an embryo that, if implanted in a womb, would

produce an offspring that would be a genetic duplicate of the cell

donor.

 

Supporters of research hope that eventually stem cells can be culled

from cloned embryos. The hope is that building block stem cells in

the embryos would be genetic matches capable of being transplanted

into patients whose cells are damaged by disease.

 

Lawmakers renewed the effort to pass a cloning ban after a company's

claim last year to have cloned the first human baby. The claims by

Clonaid were never verified, but it was enough to spur Congress to

action.

 

" Although the cloning announcement appears to be a hoax, there are a

growing number of individuals who claim they can and will clone a

human being, " said House Judiciary Committee (news - web sites)

Chairman Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. " In light of these

announcements, it is imperative that Congress acts. "

[Guest guest]

> Comments?

> Misty

> http://www..com

>

> House Passes Ban on All Human Cloning

> By JANELLE CARTER, Associated Press Writer

>

 

Put it on the next nation wide ballot...let the people speak.....

 

IMO, these should not be " political " issues and only the people themselves

should decide what is to be done....let them draught it....we'll vote on

it.....

 

Seems like a good idea??

 

Khepri

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Misty.

 

All this means is that the technology will be delayed for a few years. A

very few. It means that it will be done in other countries and the USA's

technical/financial advantage will be lost as well as having ANY say as to

how it will be used. Already Denmark, Iceland and South America are picking

up the ball. Of course the Republican Party will be applauded by the

religious right and that may help him not be a one term president. Short

term gains are the name of the game.

 

Walt

 

-

<khepri3

 

Friday, February 28, 2003 7:25 PM

Re: House Passes Ban on All Human Cloning

 

 

>

> > Comments?

> > Misty

> > http://www..com

> >

> > House Passes Ban on All Human Cloning

> > By JANELLE CARTER, Associated Press Writer

> >

>

> Put it on the next nation wide ballot...let the people speak.....

>

> IMO, these should not be " political " issues and only the people themselves

> should decide what is to be done....let them draught it....we'll vote on

> it.....

>

> Seems like a good idea??

>

> Khepri

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/1/03 6:56:25 AM Eastern Standard Time,

waltstoll writes:

 

> It means that it will be done in other countries and the USA's

> technical/financial advantage will be lost as well as having ANY say as to

> how it will be used. Already Denmark, Iceland and South America are picking

> up the ball.

 

Good points.......let's vote! LOL!

 

Khepri