Wisconsin Gov Doyle Vetoes Human Cloning Ban, Pro-Life Group Upset 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 4, 2005
Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) — To the chagrin of pro-life advocates, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle vetoed a bill that would have banned all forms of human cloning — for both research and reproductive purposes. Doyle claims it would place a barrier on embryonic stem cell research, despite it not having produced any cures or treatments.
Doyle, in his announcing the veto, said the potential benefits of embryonic stem cell research outweigh the concerns over "cells in a dish" by pro-life advocates.
"Respect for human life means you don’t your turn back on cures that can save human lives," Doyle said.
Republican state Sen. Joe Leibham, one of the leading sponsors of the measure, told the Sun-Sentinal newspaper that the bill is important because it sets up ethical standards for research and says human embryos cannot be created specifically to be destroyed.
"I don’t think we as a government should be endorsing the creation of a human life and then the destruction of a human life for the hopeful potential that it may provide medical benefit for someone down the road," Leibham said.
Pro-life groups were disappointed but not surprised by the news.
"With this action, Wisconsin will beckon to scientists that the welcome mat is rolled out for the pursuit of human cloning for any purpose," Susan Armacost, legislative director for Wisconsin Right to Life, said.
"With no prohibition in place, scientists are free to pursue cloning of living human embryos which can be destroyed at the embryonic stage or developed in an artificial womb or uterus to a stage equivalent to the time of birth," she added.
Currently six states ban both forms of human cloning while eight others just ban it for reproductive purposes.
Related web sites:
Gov. Jim Doyle – https://www.wisgov.state.wi.us
Wisconsin Right to Life – https://www.wrtl.org
