MCC Reacts to Congressional Passage of Embryonic Stem Cell Research Funding

MAY 31, 2005, JEFFERSON CITY, MO - On May 24th the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 810 which will force tax payers to fund embryonic stem cell research. President George W. Bush has promised to veto the bill.

Deacon Larry Weber, Executive Director of the Missouri Catholic Conference, stated, "The American people do not want to fund human cloning for embryonic stem cell research. " Weber referred to a nationwide poll commissioned by the USCCB Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities in May 2005 that found that fifty-two percent of Americans in the poll opposed federal funding of stem cell research that requires destroying human embryos. When given a choice between funding all stem cell research, or only research which does not require destroying human embryos, respondents favored funding only the latter by 60 to 22 percent.

Weber expressed concern that Missouri Representatives Ike Skelton (R-4th District) and Jo Anne Emerson (R-8th District) voted in favor of H.R. 810.

"HR. 810 authorizes the use of federal funds to encourage the destruction of live human embryos for stem cell research. Mr. Skelton must not have understood the bill because if he did I don't believe he would have voted for the bill as he has had a longstanding pro-life position," stated Stefana Landwehr, Pro-life Coordinator for the Diocese of Jefferson City.

Don Emge, Pro-Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Springfield/Cape Girardeau said, "We have been very fortunate that Jo Anne has been with us on so many pro-life issues in the past. We are deeply saddened that she chose to depart from her own pro-life position on this issue. Among the pro-life leadership of southern Missouri there is a sense of frustration that our elected officials can't see cloning as a clear pro-life issue."