As Yogi Berra once said, “It’s deja vu all over again.” Representatives Diana Digette (D-CO) and Charlie Dent (R-PA) have introduced a mendacious bill requiring the federal government to conduct and support for stem cell research. It also provides a guarantee of funding for embryonic stem cell research.
But I think the real point is to sneak funding of human cloning research into the mix. At the very least, it would legalize human cloning via somatic cell nuclear transfer. From H.R. 2433:
SEC. 498G. PROHIBITION AGAINST FUNDING FOR HUMAN CLONING.
(a) Prohibition- The Secretary shall not use any funds for the conduct or support of human cloning….
(c) Definitions- In this section, the term “human cloning” means the implantation of the product of transferring the nuclear material of a human somatic cell into an egg cell from which the nuclear material has been removed or rendered inert into a uterus or the functional equivalent of a uterus.
How many times must it be repeated, implantation of a cloned embryo (the “product” mentioned above) is not the act of cloning any more than implanting a fertilized embryo is fertilization!
Also note that the stem cells taken from “products” might not be considered “embryonic” under the legislation, thereby requiring federal support and funding. Indeed, since ESCR is already funded, I warrant that sleight of hand is the point of the bill!
How can anyone respect the federal government when so many legislators use phony definitions as a tactic to legalize the very thing they purport to be outlawing?