U.S. Congressman Dave Weldon, M.D. : 15th District Of Florida

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	7.18.2008 The House is scheduled to consider H.R. 6515, the Drill Responsibly in Leased Lands (DRILL) Act. This bill contains the “use it or lose it” language that does not open up any new lands anywhere to American energy exploration and production. Read More 6.18.2008 Democrats vote against removing ban on oil shale exploration. Read More

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Cloning

The debate over embryonic stem cell (ESC) research has brought into focus the different but related issue of human cloning. Since scientists successfully cloned Dolly the sheep, efforts have been underway by scientists in several countries to clone human beings. Because of the enormous moral and ethical questions raised by such research, many countries, including Canada, France, and Germany, have rightly banned human cloning.

Unfortunately, the United States has yet to follow suit. In 2003 and again in 2005, I introduced the Human Cloning Prohibition Act to stop human cloning here at home before scientists successfully open Pandora’s Box. My bill was overwhelmingly approved by the House in 2003, but was unable to pass the U.S. Senate. Again in 2005 the lack of support from a supermajority in the Senate killed the bill.

Among other things, I am deeply concerned about the intersection of ESC research and human cloning, which is why my bill bans all forms of human cloning, including the cloning of human embryos for research experimentation.

In the absence of a comprehensive ban, research universities are already trying to create cloned human embryos for destruction in experimental, medical research. Most recently, Harvard University announced its plan to create cloned human embryos specifically for destruction in medical research. Though a bill purporting to be “anti-cloning” has also been introduced in the Senate, it would still allow the creation of cloned human embryos for the express purpose of destroying them in experimental research.

The United States has already fallen behind in putting ethical parameters around experimental research involving the creation and destruction of human embryos. Unless we enact a comprehensive human cloning ban, domestic research will continue to move forward in a manner that violates human dignity and erodes the very essence of humanity.