CBHD Praises House Vote to Ban All Cloning
Chicago, Illinois – February 27, 2003 – Today the US House passed HR 534, the Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2003. The bill is a comprehensive ban on all human cloning.
The comprehensive ban was sponsored by Democrats, Republicans and the only Independent in the House. The bill passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 241-155. An amendment that would have changed the bill into that only banned ‘reproductive’ cloning was defeated prior to the final vote.
John F. Kilner, PhD, President of The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity commented concerning the vote, “The passage of the cloning ban by the House is a wonderful statement of our country’s determination not to let the lure of scientific achievement or financial gain run roughshod over ethics. If news events of the last year have shown us anything, it is that cutting ethical corners in the pursuit of prosperity is not a wise long-term approach. May the Senate have the courage to chart a similar course.”
Daniel McConchie, the Center’s Director of Public Relations and Public Policy stated, “This vote reaffirms the position increasingly be adopted by countries around the world that all human cloning must be banned. Hopefully the House actions today will encourage more governments to ban all human cloning and join the US in promoting a comprehensive ban treaty through the United Nations.”
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