Senate Vote on Human Embryos

By Richard Land - Jul 7, 2005 - comment

The U.S. Senate will soon vote on a bill that would provide federal funding to kill human embryos for research purposes.

The bill, S. 471, sponsored by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), would overturn President Bush’s policy adopted in 2001 that bars federal funding of research that would require killing human embryos. The House passed this bill last month but, thanks to your efforts, fell short of a two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.

Proponents of the bill argue that embryos leftover from in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics are unwanted and will ultimately be discarded. These arguments are both misguiding and misleading. Many couples have already come forward to adopt these so–called leftover embryos. On May 24, the same day of the House vote, President Bush welcomed 21 “snowflakes” babies—embryos adopted from IVF clinics—and their families at a White House reception during which he made clear that human embryos are lives not to be taken for any purpose.

Embryonic stem cell research not only destroys human life; it also has failed to produce any successful human treatments. Meanwhile, non–embryonic stem cell research has generated treatments for at least 58 diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, and juvenile diabetes. Research should be directed solely toward ethical sources of stem cells, such as umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, fat, and placentas, which have yielded these treatments.

If you agree that taxpayer dollars should not be given for research that destroys human embryos, please contact your senators and tell them to vote against S. 471, The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.

You can call your senators by dialing the Capitol switchboard at 202/224-3121. The operator will connect you to the senator’s office of your choice.

Thank you for taking a few minutes of your valuable time to speak for the voiceless and protect human embryos from destruction. May God bless you as you do.

Further Learning

Learn more about: Life, Stem-Cell Research, Citizenship, National

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