http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/31clone.html
July 31, 2001
WASHINGTON --The House voted to ban
all cloning of human embryos Tuesday night, casting Congress' first votes
on the divisive ethical issue after a day of emotional debate on science,
morality and the definition of life.
The bill passed by 265-162, capping
a day in which lawmakers also said no to even limited human cloning for
research into possible cures for Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's and other fatal
or disabling diseases.
"This House should not be giving
the green light to mad scientists to tinker with the gift of life," said
Rep. J.C. Watts, R-Okla. "Cloning is an insult to humanity. It is science
gone crazy."
A similar ban has been introduced
in the Senate by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan. And Senate Majority Leader
Tom Daschle of South Dakota said Tuesday he was "opposed to the effort
to clone under virtually any circumstances."
The vote to ban any human cloning
occurred shortly after the House, by 249-178, rejected an amendment that
would have allowed the limited creation of cloned embryos dedicated solely
to research.
Reps. Jim Greenwood, R-Pa., and Peter
Deutsch, D-Fla., said their alternative to permit cloning for research
could point the way to cures for terrible diseases.
"Why would we condemn the world and
future generations not to have this miracle?" Greenwood said. "Some would
say once you put Mr. Greenwood's cheek cell in and it divides, it becomes
a soul."
Lawmakers spent much of the day's
debate plunging into the ethics of biotechnology.
"This is about providing moral leadership
for a watching world," said Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., the chairman
of the Judiciary Committee. "Allowing the creation of cloned embryos by
law would enable anyone to attempt to clone a human being."
House members agreed on the general
principle that they do not want the human species cloned, the technique
that allowed scientists to create Dolly the sheep in 1997.
The disagreement was over whether
scientists should be able to clone human embryos and then use them in their
search for cures to diseases.
From the embryos, scientists could
gather valuable stem cells--the building blocks for all human tissue. President
Bush is now deciding whether to permit federal funds for medical research
on stem cells pulled from human embryos.
Bush, reiterating his opposition
to cloning, praised the House's action. "Today's overwhelming and bipartisan
House action to prohibit human cloning is a strong ethical statement, which
I commend," Bush said in a prepared statement. "We must advance the promise
and cause of science, but must do so in a way that honors and respects
life."
The matter has been hotly contested
because the most versatile stem cells are derived from embryos discarded
at fertility clinics. Using them for research is opposed by abortion foes.
"There are ways for us to get these
answers without messing with cloning," Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-La., supporting
the total ban written by Reps. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., and Bart Stupak, D-Mich.
Cloned embryos would represent a
new frontier, allowing scientists to produce stem cells that would be a
perfect match to a person's DNA. Such stem cells could then be cultivated
to produce healthy tissue for people with debilitating diseases, scientists
hope
But even a cloned embryo is a human
being, opponents argued, saying Greenwood's bill would sanction their destruction.
"You might as well say Dolly isn't
a real sheep even though she's now five years old," said Rep. Joseph Pitts,
R-Pa.
Sensenbrenner and others suggested
that scientists could use adult stem cells or other sources for research.
The Food and Drug Administration
claims the authority to regulate cloning, but there is no law governing
it.
"We are sailing into uncharted waters,"
Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., said. "Our decision here today could have
consequences for years to come."
In a statement Monday, the Bush administration
said it "unequivocally is opposed to the cloning of human beings either
for reproduction or for research. The moral and ethical issues posed by
human cloning are profound and cannot be ignored in the quest for scientific
discovery."
The use of stem cells from human
embryos for research has divided even the most staunch anti-abortion Republicans.
In recent weeks, some, such as Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, have announced
their support for stem cell research.
Recently during Bush's trip to Europe,
Pope John Paul II urged him to reject research with human embryo stem cells.
Copyright 2001 Associated Press
BY JANELLE CARTER ASSOCIATED PRESS