News

By John-Henry Westen

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – President Barack Obama plans to rescind the Bush policy limiting federal funding for embryo destructive research on Monday. The Bush policy had allowed federal funding for experiments on already existing lines of embryos, but forbade the funds from being used to create new embryos for experimentation. 

According to news reports, a signing ceremony will take place on Monday at 11 am.  Details about the Executive Order are not available, but according to the Washington Post, “proponents expect Obama will simply lift the restriction without caveats and let the NIH work out the details.”

Tony Perkins, President of Family Research Council commented on the news, saying, “Today’s news that President Obama will open the door to direct taxpayer funds for embryonic stem cell research that encourages the destruction of human embryos is a slap in the face to Americans who believe in the dignity of all human life.”

Perkins added: “I believe it is unethical to use human life, even young embryonic life, to advance science. While such research is unfortunately legal, taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for experiments that require the destruction of human life.”

The Family Research Council leader pointed out that “Obama’s policy change is especially troubling given the significant adult stem cell advances that are being used to treat patients now without harming or destroying human embryos.” 

He concluded, “Despite the significant advances using adult stem cells to treat patients, and new techniques to create stem cells from any patient, President Obama will choose to direct taxpayer’s money to experiments that represent the poorest stem cell science.

Just this week ten pro-life Members of Congress spoke on stem cell research during a Special Order organized by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ).  Smith and the other pro-life Congressman observed that embryonic stem-cell research is not only unethical, but unnecessary, given the superior results achieved through adult stem cell research.

“Human embryo-destroying stem cell research is not only unethical, unworkable and unreliable, it is now demonstrably unnecessary,” said Smith.  “Adult stem cells … are truly remarkable. They work, they have no ethical baggage, and advances are made every day at a dizzying pace.
 
But despite so much progress in the adult stem cell field, “the Obama administration and the House and Senate Democratic leadership remain obsessed with killing human embryos for experimentation at taxpayer expense,” said Smith.

(Video of the Special Order is available on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=03B71601DFA5FFAA)