Contact House of Representatives to Oppose HB 365 to Fund Human Cloning
Missouri citizens need to contact their representative immediately and ask him/her to oppose HB 365. HB 365 authorizes the Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) to issue up to ten million dollars in tax credits per year, to benefit research projects and qualifying companies approved by MTC.
The pro-life community has grave concerns that because of MTC’s documented support of human cloning (SCNT) and embryonic stem cell research, these tax credits will go to projects and companies that engage in such types of unethical research. Because MTC is not a state agency, but is a private corporation, lawmakers will never have the oversight of MTC.
The MTC is chaired by Donn Rubin, who is the official coalition chairman of the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, which spent over $30 million to pass constitutional Amendment 2, adopted by Missouri voters in 2006. Many of the board members of the MTC, as well as their affiliated organizations were heavily involved in support of Amendment 2. Also, the MTC's affiliated organization, the Research Alliance of Missouri (RAM) includes as a member the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City, whose founders, Jim and Virginia Stowers, were major supporters and financiers of Amendment 2. During the campaign on Amendment 2, the Stowers Institute said it would only go forward with its proposed expansion plans in Missouri if Amendment 2 was approved by the voters.
MTC executive director, Rob Monsees, is also a supporter of Amendment 2, as reported in the Sept. 16, 2006 Columbia Daily Tribune. Monsees “said the stem cell research ballot issue will attract attention to Missouri because it will make the difference in whether the institutions like the university system, the Stowers Institute in Kansas City and Washington University in St. Louis will be able to recruit top talent in the fields of biomedical research.”
ACTION:
- Contact the members of the House of Representatives (listed below) and urge them to vote “NO” on HB 365.
- Let the MCC know of any responses you receive from legislators.
MESSAGE:
HB 365 allows a private organization which supports human cloning and embryonic stem cell research to fund such unethical research through taxpayer’s dollars. Vote “NO” on HB 365. For more detailed information on HB 365 please click here.
ROSTER OF STATE REPRESENTATIVES:
http://www.house.state.mo.us/default.aspx?info=/bills071/member/memmail.htm
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