PRESS RELEASE

National Right to Life Radio Ad Urges Senators Johnson and Daschle to Join Congressman Thune and President Bush to Ban Human Embryo Farms

The ad anticipates U.S. Senate action this month or next on a bill (S. 1899), sponsored by Senators Sam Brownback (R-Ks.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.), that would ban the cloning of human embryos. The Brownback-Landrieu bill is supported by National Right to Life, South Dakota Right to Life, and other pro-life groups. It is also supported by a broad coalition of environmental organizations, women’s health organizations, and other groups not associated with the pro-life movement. (For more information on the broad coalition to ban all human cloning, see www.cloninginformation.org.) The biotechnology industry lobby is pushing a counter-proposal, falsely labeled as a "human cloning ban," which in reality would permit so-called "therapeutic cloning" -- that is, the mass cloning of human embryos for use in lethal experiments or as medical commodities. Pro-life groups refer to this as the "clone and kill" bill, because it would prohibit the implantation of any cloned human embryo in a womb -- requiring the federal government to ensure that every cloned human embryo is killed.

The ad takes the form of a conversation between a man and a woman about the issue. The man refers to the recent overwhelming approval by the South Dakota legislature of a resolution condemning "therapeutic cloning" and urging the U.S. Senate to approve the Brownback bill. He notes, "The U.S. House already passed that bill, with Congressman Thune’s support, and President Bush supports it. So now the only obstacle is the U.S. Senate." He also explains that the two senators have indicated they may vote for the competing bill. The woman responds in dismay that this would "allow human embryo farms to open for profit." The ad concludes with an appeal for listeners to call the senators’ offices to "urge them to vote for the Brownback bill to ban the cloning of human embryos."

For further information on the Brownback-Landrieu bill and the "clone and kill" legislation being pushed by the biotechnology industry, see the National Right to Life website at www.nrlc.org/Killing_Embryos/Index.html