Minnesota House Approves Bill Promoting Taxpayer Funding of Human Cloning
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 7, 2008
St. Paul, MN (LifeNews.com) — The Minnesota House approved a measure on Wednesday that concerns pro-life advocates because it funds human cloning and the killing of human embryos at the University of Minnesota. In what a leading pro-life group called a "heartless act of disregard for human life" the House backed the bill 71-62.
The House voted for the Kahn–Cohen Cloning Bill, SF 100, that would force taxpayers to fund destructive research.
The legislation legalizes human cloning and forces taxpayers to pay for the destruction of human life on a scale never before seen in Minnesota. It requires university scientists to kill all cloned human beings or face felony charges.
“House members today had a chance to do the right thing and protect vulnerable human life, but instead they chose to treat human life as mere raw material for experimentation,” Andrea Rau of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, told LifeNews.com.
“It is a dark day for citizens to see their taxes being spent on such unjust treatment of human life," the MCCL legislative associate said.
Should the measure make its way to the desk of Gov. Tim Pawlenty, it will not likely become law as the pro-life governor, who has been mentioned as a possible running mate for eventual GOP presidential nominee John McCain, has threatened to veto it.
Pawlenty issued a statement in strong opposition of the bill earlier in the session in a letter to all 201 state legislators. He urged lawmakers to support ethical adult stem cell research, which has produced proven lifesaving research without the destruction of human life.
“The University of Minnesota’s own breakthrough last year—producing new healthy heart tissue from adult stem cells in rats—demonstrates our potential to lead the nation in adult stem cell research,” Pawlenty explained.
“I support stem cell research and look forward to working with the Legislature to fashion legislation that will facilitate scientific advancement within ethical boundaries and enable many to receive therapeutic treatments," he added.
The Senate approved S.F. 100 in the 2007 session. Because the House version varies from that passed by the Senate, the Senate must either concur with the House language and send it to Pawlenty, or take up the bill in a conference committee.
The group said it was concerned that backers of the bill are disguising its support for human cloning by using a more technical term, somatic cell nuclear transplantation, that describes the cloning process.
MCCL told LifeNews.com that backers of the bill are telling lawmakers that SCNT isn’t cloning despite the fact that it describes the actual method used to clone a human being.
The group emphasized that adult stem cells offer real hope for people suffering from diseases and conditions such as cancer, lupus, Crohn’s, Parkinson’s, cardiovascular diseases, immune disorders and many more.
More than 70 cures and treatments have already been developed from adult stem cell research; in stark contrast, no embryonic stem cell cures or even human clinical trials exist.
ACTION: Contact Governor Pawlenty and thank him for opposing the Kahn–Cohen Cloning Bill, SF 100, and urge him to veto the bill if it reaches his desk. Go to https://www.governor.state.mn.us/contacts/index.htm for a complete list of contact information.
Related web sites:
Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life – https://www.mccl.org
