Posted on 01/17/2007 10:16:28 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
A major showdown is looming over stem cell research in the state Legislature.
Sen. Mark Miller, D-Madison, is circulating a bill that would affirm in state statute that stem cell research is legal in Wisconsin.
"There has been legislation introduced to restrict the ability of Wisconsin researchers to conduct stem cell research, and it seems to me it's time to make a very clear statement that we support stem cell research in Wisconsin," Miller said this morning.
Support for embryonic stem cell research, which was pioneered at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and holds promise of cures for such diseases as Alzheimer's and diabetes, has been a major political issue in Wisconsin, with Republicans generally opposing it and Democrats embracing it.
In the last legislative session, the Republican-controlled Senate and Assembly tried to ban therapeutic cloning, which calls for creating an embryo from the DNA of a patient and removing its stem cells. Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle vetoed the proposal, which also banned human cloning.
But the political landscape has changed. Democrats now control the Senate, and the Republican majority in the Assembly has narrowed. Miller predicts that if his bill - which would also require that any state-funded research involving human stem cells be approved by an institutional review board and a national oversight committee - is allowed to come to a vote in the Assembly, it would pass.
Sue Armacost, legislative director of Wisconsin Right to Life, condemned the proposed bill in a memo this morning to state legislators.
"The Miller proposal would enshrine in law the abhorrent principle that the state of Wisconsin supports the destruction of living human beings for research purposes on embryos already created and on embryos specifically created for research by cloning or other means," Armacost wrote.
Meanwhile, in response to news that researchers were able to extract viable stem cells from amniotic fluid, a Republican lawmaker is working on a proposal to allow pregnant women to voluntarily donate amniotic fluid for stem cell research.
"This would allow people to donate amniotic fluid so we don't need to destroy embryos for stem cell research," Rep. Joel Kleefisch of Oconomowoc said Tuesday.
Kleefisch is opposed to abortion and believes using embryos, usually leftover from fertility treatments, for stem cell research destroys life. He spoke briefly about his plans Tuesday at a gathering of anti-abortion activists at the state Capitol.
Researchers at Wake Forest University and Harvard University reported on Jan. 7 that they were able to extract stem cells from amniotic fluid donated by pregnant women and generate several cell types, including brain, liver and bone. The researchers said they were able to extract the amniotic fluid, which cushions the fetus in the womb, without harming the mother or fetus.
In an interview Kleefisch said he would likely model his legislation after a state law passed in 2005 that requires prenatal health care providers to offer information to pregnant women about the options of donating blood extracted from the umbilical cords of newborns to a cord blood bank, blood bank or plasma center.
He said he has put several calls into officials at the University of Wisconsin to discuss this proposal with them.
"We're right now in the process of finding out how we can work with the UW to write this the right way, so that when someone does donate, that it gets to where it needs for the proper study," he said.
Kleefisch said he anticipates support from the university: "If we can give them promising stem cell research without the destruction of an embryo, we anticipate they will embrace that."
Andrew Cohn, spokesman for the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, had not heard of Kleefisch's proposal and preferred to reserve comment until seeing a draft of the legislation.
Kleefisch said he also expects bipartisan support for his proposal, even with the new makeup of the state Legislature.
Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson, D-Beloit, said through spokesman Josh Westcott that she is open to all options for life-saving research that offers hope and promise for curing diseases. But she said the judgment of the science community should ultimately prevail.
"She doesn't necessarily think the politicians should be telling researchers what is best," Westcott said.
"This Is Why Elections Matter" Ping!
IMHO...
If a state with a population that has been characterized as 70-80% "pro-life"
can be persuaded to put protection of ALL stem cell research into
their state constitution...
It's gonna' be a slam-dunk in Wisconsin.
I was here in Missouri and saw it all happen.
Faith to Action (website is f2a.org) has some good material in support of trying to defeat embryonic stem cell research. If Doyle and his ilk are behind it, rest assured there's money in it for Diamond Jim and the DemocRATS. This is so wrong. Anyone interested, check out the above website.
Thanks for the link!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.