Missouri Right to Life Applauds President Bush on His Strong Opposition to All Human Cloning, Asks Missouri Political Leaders to Follow His Lead

February 1, 2006

In his State of the Union address last night, President Bush outlined his views of a “hopeful society”, and encouraged Americans to “never give in to the belief that…our culture is doomed to unravel”.

Great promise lies ahead for Missourians, but there are some who are willing to trade real progress, and the hope that science is already showing, for an imagined dream of economic gain. 

The President, in addressing the important issue of human cloning, stated:

"A hopeful society has institutions of science and medicine that do not cut ethical corners, and that recognizes the matchless value of every life.  Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical research – human cloning in all its forms…creating or implanting embryos for experiments …creating human-animal hybrids…and buying, selling, or patenting human embryos.  Human life is a gift from our Creator – and that gift should never be discarded, devalued, or put up for sale.”

"Missouri Right to Life (MRL) stands shoulder to shoulder with President Bush in his consistent call for a ban on all human cloning,” said Pam Fichter, President of Missouri Right to Life.  His position is unquestionable.  The official administration position, as stated here- Bush Administration Cloning Position - calls for a ban on human Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT), which is the method of cloning used to create mammals like Dolly the sheep.

For the last several legislative sessions, MRL has called for a statewide ban on all forms of human cloning, just like President Bush has asked for on the international level.  When told the truth, using accurate scientific terms, Missourians support a ban on SCNT and using human embryos for experiments.

Unfortunately, Governor Matt Blunt, Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, Auditor Claire McCaskill, and many other officials have openly supported the protection of human cloning in Missouri.  Economic forces, including the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, are pushing for the passage of a ballot initiative that would remove Pro-Life protections for human embryos from our state constitution, and replace those protections with a virtually limitless right to clone and kill human embryos.

"MRL and Pro-Life Missourians call on our state lawmakers and executives to support a ban, like President Bush, on all Human Cloning, including SCNT.  We enthusiastically support stem-cell research using non-embryonic sources,” said Pam Fichter.