FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2006

Contact: Matt Sande, Director of Legislation, (262) 352-0890 or info@prolifewisconsin.org.
or Marc Tuttle, Communications Director, (262) 796-1111, cell: (262) 408-0506.

PLW Urges Kohl, Feingold to Oppose Embryo Destruction Bill
Measure would lift Bush restrictions on embryonic stem cell research

Pro-Life Wisconsinites across the state are urging Wisconsin Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold to oppose legislation that would fully remove President Bush’s federal funding restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research. Co-authored by Reps. Michael Castle (R-DE) and Diane DeGette (D-CO), House Resolution (H.R.) 810 – the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 – would allow federal funding of new embryonic stem cell lines derived from the destruction of new human embryos “donated” from in vitro fertilization clinics. H.R. 810 passed the House on May 24th, 2005, by a vote of 238-194. The Senate is poised to debate and vote on H.R. 810 after members return from their Independence Day break the week of July 10th.

“A human embryo is a human being from the moment of fertilization,” said Peggy Hamill, State Director of Pro-Life Wisconsin (PLW). “Sacrificing human embryos – babies in their earliest stages of development – in the name of science is immoral and unnecessary. Forcing taxpayers to fund it is especially offensive. That’s why we’re encouraging pro-lifers statewide to call Senators Kohl and Feingold and tell them to oppose H.R. 810."

President Bush’s embryonic stem cell executive order of August 2001 restricted federal research grants to the approximately seventy-eight existing human embryonic stem cell lines and prohibited federal funding of any new lines. H.R. 810 would supersede the current restrictions by amending the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct or support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells.

“When an embryo’s inner stem cell mass is extracted to harvest its stem cells, it is necessarily killed,” said Matt Sande, PLW’s Director of Legislative Affairs. “There are ethical lines that civilized societies must never cross. Killing babies for their stem cells is such a line.”

Pro-Life Wisconsin fully supports life-affirming adult stem cell research, an ethical and highly effective alternative. Obtaining human stem cells from adults does not involve the destruction of human embryos and has been clinically successful in treating a wide range of health conditions including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, spinal cord injury, stroke, juvenile diabetes, and cardiac repair.

“Adult stem cell research is the only stem cell research with proven clinical application,” said Sande. “In contrast, embryonic stem cells have never helped a human patient and any claim that they may do so is pure speculation. Our aim is to save lives and not destroy them, so let’s direct our time, talent and money toward something we know that works – adult stem cell research. Americans deserve the assurance that their country can be both a leader in biotechnology and bioethics.”

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