Missouri Session Poses Cloning, Embryonic Research Concerns

Bioethics   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Aug 4, 2011   |   1:11PM   |   Jefferson City, MO

A Missouri pro-life group is concerned that a special session of the state legislature could open the door for forcing taxpayers in the state to finance human cloning and embryonic stem cell research.

Governor Jay Nixon, who supports legal abortion, is set to call a special session in September to consider an omnibus economic development bill. Missouri Right to Life hopes pro-life advocates in the Show Me State will pay attention to concerns over legislature during the special session.

“One part of this legislation is the Missouri Science Innovation & Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA),” the pro-life group explains in an email alert to LifeNews. “MOSIRA sets up a fund, channeled through the state budget and to be administered by the pro-cloning Missouri Technology Corporation, to provide state money or tax incentives for new technology businesses, including businesses engaged in human life science research. MOSIRA does not currently include language preventing unethical research but only requires unethical research to be reported.”

Missouri Right to Life opposes MOSIRA or any economic development legislation that includes only a reporting requirement for this life-destroying research, and we call for protective language preventing state money from being used for human cloning, embryonic stem cell research, or fetal research on aborted babies,” the organization continues.

The pro-life group sent a letter on July 1 to Governor Nixon and all state legislators expressing its concerns and suggesting pro-life protective language for MOSIRA.

“This fund is the vehicle through which certain Missouri businesses can invest money through the state budget process to set up business incubators, mainly through the university systems, to receive tax credits and/or incentives from the state. Because these monies pass through the state budget, they become public money and
should have pro-life protections ensuring that the State of Missouri does not provide incentives for abortion, human cloning or embryonic stem cell research,” MRL said in the letter.

“Missouri Right to Life opposes any economic development legislation that includes only a reporting requirement for this life-destroying research. The public officials of the State of Missouri should be very clear in stating that the economic well-being of Missouri is not built on research that destroys innocent human lives through abortion services, human cloning or embryonic stem cell research. Public dollars, whether direct appropriations, tax credits or tax incentives for abortion services, human cloning or embryonic stem cell research, should be explicitly prohibited, not just reported after innocent human beings have been killed during research,” it continued.

The organization said it would oppose any economic development legislation without the protective language in place.

Missouri Right to Life is asking pro-life state residents to contact their state legislators to support pro-life language for MOSIRA and any legislation dealing with human life sciences research.