Posted on 03/31/2005 7:34:41 PM PST by Crackingham
The Massachusetts House passed a bill Thursday night that would give scientists more freedom to conduct embryonic stem cell research in the state. The House voted 117-37 for the bill, a day after the Senate approved it 35-2, giving the measure easily enough votes to override an expected veto by Gov. Mitt Romney. The bill would allow scientists to create cloned embryos and extract their stem cells for research into the potential treatment and cure of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries and other conditions.
"I think this is a giant step for medical research," said House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi after the vote.
Shawn Feddeman, a spokeswoman for Romney, said "the governor will not sign into law a bill that permits the cloning of human embryos for research."
"This is uncharted ethical territory. The cloning of human embryos has never been done before in this country, and Governor Romney has very legitimate concerns that we not create life for the sole purpose of experimenting on it," Feddeman said.
Under current state law, scientists interested in conducting stem cell research need the approval of the local district attorney. The bill would remove that requirement, give the state Health Department some regulatory controls and ban cloning for reproductive purposes.
Well, there's that veto-proof majority they kept talking about.
The cloning and killing has already begun in MassA TwoSh!ts, without the taxpayers having to fund it. This legislation is merely to apply the veneer of respectability to what has been going on in Worcester for years now.
Let's hope the governor vetoes the bill.
He will veto the bill, but the Democrats only need 107 votes to override, and they got 117 on the first pass.
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