From a press release:

DELAWARE REFUSES TO LEGALIZE EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH Legislators credit grassroots opposition and lobbying efforts for victory DOVER, Del. –Opponents of embryonic stem cell research and cloning forced Delaware Senate Bill 80 to be “gutted” of its most important elements in order to gain passage in blue-state Delaware. Legislators in the Delaware House of Representatives today failed to pass Senate Bill 80 as written, instead passing a severely reduced version of the bill. Struggling to line up the votes for passage, sponsors were forced to remove all reference to human embryonic stem cell research and the destruction of frozen in-vitro fertilization embryos from the bill, handing opponents of the bill a clear victory. According to sponsors, SB 80 was based on HR 810, Mike Castle’s bill now in the US Senate, but the elements most like HR 810 had to be removed from the bill. Several supporters, including sponsor Rep. Deborah Hudson, R-Fairthorne, said the bill’s references to embryonic stem cell research were removed because of a powerful lobbying and advertising campaign that opposed the bill. The campaign Rep. Hudson referenced, “A Rose & a Prayer,” is a grassroots effort that involved Delawareans of many faiths. More than 2,400 Delawareans signed up for a total of more than 1,500 hours of prayer in opposition to SB 80. Also as part of the campaign, state legislators last week received more than 1,500 roses with cards from individual voters asking them to vote against the bill. In addition, it is believed that over ten thousand Delawareans contacted their representatives asking them to vote against the bill. Supported by Christian ministers, such as Bowen Matthews of Brandywine Valley Baptist Church and Bishop Michael Saltarelli of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, A Rose and a Prayer created a dynamic grassroots network was instrumental in preventing the original SB 80 from coming to the House for a vote. Largely as a result of the campaign, legislators amended the bill to 1) remove all references to embryonic stem cell research and 2) clarify the definition of “human reproductive cloning” to clearly ban any cloning that results in a human fetus or child for any purposes, and to close a loophole that would have allowed fetal farming. “This is a huge win against tremendous odds for human life and for the people of Delaware. We are very pleased that our state representatives recognized Delawareans’ overwhelming opposition to Senate Bill 80 and, specifically, to human embryonic stem cell research and human cloning,” said Stephen E. Jenkins, President of A Rose & A Prayer. “We hope that other states will recognize Delaware’s decision to refuse to legalize embryonic stem cell research as an indication that Americans do not want or need research that destroys human embryos,” said Jenkins, a Wilmington attorney. “Rather, we need research that focuses on adult stem cells, where scientists are increasingly finding real cures.” Delaware media reported Wednesday that Rep. Hudson intends to present a separate bill proposing legalization of embryonic stem cell researchers before state lawmakers adjourn in June. Jenkins said the Rose & A Prayer campaign stands ready to oppose that or any other proposals that might legalize such research in Delaware and the region and will also work for a complete ban on human cloning and research that destroys embryos in the state. ### …………………………….. www.aroseandaprayer.com………………………..