Joe Lieberman’s First Action as President: Fund Embryonic Stem Cells
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 6, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — If elected president, the first thing pro-abortion Sen. Joe Lieberman would do is make sure taxpayer funds would sponsor embryonic stem cell research that involves the destruction of unborn children.
Lieberman made that announcement in October, saying "The day I walk into the Oval Office, the first thing I’m going to do is rescind the Bush administration restrictions on stem-cell research."
He reiterated his position on Monday an interview with the Associated Press.
"By restating this once again, he wants to make sure everyone understands that he’s serious about killing human embryos for experimentation and research," said Carol Tobias of National Right to Life.
President Bush put in place restrictions on embryonic stem cell research. His policy, announced on August 9, 2001, prohibited federal funding of any new embryonic stem cell research conducted after that date.
Bush’s decision drew opposition from the biotech industry and some members of Congress, including Lieberman.
"These restrictions aren’t compassionate. They’re not fair. They’re cruel," Lieberman said. Lieberman indicated he would issue an executive order overturning Bush’s funding restrictions.
Lieberman would also establish an American Center for Cures to help find cures for chronic diseases. While pro-life groups strongly support anti-disease research, they back the use of adult stem cells rather than obtaining cells at the expense of human life.
Douglas Johnson, legislative director for National Right to Life, said "Lieberman’s position is both ethically and politically flawed, because most Americans oppose the cultivation and killing of human embryos for experimentation — what President Bush has called ‘human embryo farms.’"
If Lieberman is elected president, his actions would come as an about face from those President Bush took on his first day in office.
Shortly after his inauguration, Bush issued an executive order reinstating the Mexico City Policy, prohibiting taxpayer funds from being sent to organizations that perform abortions overseas or lobby other countries to adopt pro-abortion laws.
