Max
08-10-2001, 07:03 AM
Reaction to Bush decision on stem-cell research
(UPDATE: Updates with additional comments)
WASHINGTON, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Following is initial reaction to President George W. Bush's decision on Thursday to allow federally funded research on embryonic stem cells on a limited basis:
-- Sen. Sam Brownback (R.-Kan) - ``I am pleased the president has made a strong, clear statement about the need to ban human cloning and stop the creation of human life for research purposes ... I am saddened by the president's decision to allow taxpayer dollars to fund the use of stem cells derived from young humans... We should substantially increase the fund for adult stem cell research rather than research on young humans, a practice which is opposed by millions of American taxpayers.''
-- Sen. Bill Frist (R.-Tenn) - ``I believe the president has done the nation a great service by allowing promising embryonic stem-cell research to proceed while maintaining strong restrictions on the extent of the research and ensuring comprehensive oversight.''
-- Senate Majority Leader, Tom Daschle (D.-S.D.) - ``There will be concern about the limits the president has proposed on this research, specifically that the existent stem cell lines could be inadequate to realize its potential lifesaving benefits ... the Senate will want to take action. President Bush's statement tonight puts us in a position to begin what I hope will be a constructive and bipartisan dialogue.''
-- Sen. Edward Kennedy (D.-Mass.) - ``The president's decision is an important step forward, but doesn't go far enough to fulfill the life-saving potential of this promising new medical research.''
-- Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson - ``This is not a decision based on rigid lines of ideology, nor is it based on unrealistic expectations that science might or might not be able to fulfill. It keeps the door open and allows us to move forward in a careful and measured manner.''
-- Bishop Joseph Fiorenza, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops - ``The trade-off he has announced is morally unacceptable: The federal government, for the first time in history, will support research that relies on the destruction of some defenseless human beings for the possible benefit to others.''
-- Kate Michelman, president, National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League President - ``The president tonight offered a weak and limited compromise on stem-cell research. In an attempt to politically straddle the issue, the president has pleased no one. Americans must now turn to Congress for the support needed to continue this vital research.''
-- House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt (D.-Mo.) - ``I am glad that Presdient Bush has reversed his ill-advised campaign pledge to stop federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research from going forward. But to curtail the expansion of stem-cell research by limiting further research is to extend a hand of hope to thousands, while using the other to take it away.''
-- Sen. Arlen Specter (R.-Pa.) - ``When the president acknowledges that some embryos will not survive long storage and some will be thrown away, it is my judgment that at least stem cells should be extracted from those embryos without crossing the president's ethical line... I intend to press for an early Senate vote on my bill to allow Federal funding to extract stem cells from embryos destined for destruction.''
-- Actor Christopher Reeve, who suffers from paralyzing spinal cord injury, on CNN - ``I think it's a step in the right direction and I'm grateful to the president. I think what needs to happen is the matter ought to go before Congress and that legislation ought to be introduced to adopt the Clinton guidelines that were put in place several years ago that allow broader research.''
-- Actress May Tyler Moore, international chairman, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, on CNN - ``I'm pleased, very pleased. You always wish it were more, but compared to what we were all fearing might happen, this is good.''
-- Dr. James Dobson, president, Focus on the Family, on CNN
- ``I give the president's decision generally a 'thumbs up.' There are still some aspects to it we want to look at. I think he found a solution ... He didn't call for federal funds to be expended to take human life, to kill those little embryos. that was our great concern. We were pleased ... He implied life begins at conception.''
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(UPDATE: Updates with additional comments)
WASHINGTON, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Following is initial reaction to President George W. Bush's decision on Thursday to allow federally funded research on embryonic stem cells on a limited basis:
-- Sen. Sam Brownback (R.-Kan) - ``I am pleased the president has made a strong, clear statement about the need to ban human cloning and stop the creation of human life for research purposes ... I am saddened by the president's decision to allow taxpayer dollars to fund the use of stem cells derived from young humans... We should substantially increase the fund for adult stem cell research rather than research on young humans, a practice which is opposed by millions of American taxpayers.''
-- Sen. Bill Frist (R.-Tenn) - ``I believe the president has done the nation a great service by allowing promising embryonic stem-cell research to proceed while maintaining strong restrictions on the extent of the research and ensuring comprehensive oversight.''
-- Senate Majority Leader, Tom Daschle (D.-S.D.) - ``There will be concern about the limits the president has proposed on this research, specifically that the existent stem cell lines could be inadequate to realize its potential lifesaving benefits ... the Senate will want to take action. President Bush's statement tonight puts us in a position to begin what I hope will be a constructive and bipartisan dialogue.''
-- Sen. Edward Kennedy (D.-Mass.) - ``The president's decision is an important step forward, but doesn't go far enough to fulfill the life-saving potential of this promising new medical research.''
-- Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson - ``This is not a decision based on rigid lines of ideology, nor is it based on unrealistic expectations that science might or might not be able to fulfill. It keeps the door open and allows us to move forward in a careful and measured manner.''
-- Bishop Joseph Fiorenza, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops - ``The trade-off he has announced is morally unacceptable: The federal government, for the first time in history, will support research that relies on the destruction of some defenseless human beings for the possible benefit to others.''
-- Kate Michelman, president, National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League President - ``The president tonight offered a weak and limited compromise on stem-cell research. In an attempt to politically straddle the issue, the president has pleased no one. Americans must now turn to Congress for the support needed to continue this vital research.''
-- House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt (D.-Mo.) - ``I am glad that Presdient Bush has reversed his ill-advised campaign pledge to stop federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research from going forward. But to curtail the expansion of stem-cell research by limiting further research is to extend a hand of hope to thousands, while using the other to take it away.''
-- Sen. Arlen Specter (R.-Pa.) - ``When the president acknowledges that some embryos will not survive long storage and some will be thrown away, it is my judgment that at least stem cells should be extracted from those embryos without crossing the president's ethical line... I intend to press for an early Senate vote on my bill to allow Federal funding to extract stem cells from embryos destined for destruction.''
-- Actor Christopher Reeve, who suffers from paralyzing spinal cord injury, on CNN - ``I think it's a step in the right direction and I'm grateful to the president. I think what needs to happen is the matter ought to go before Congress and that legislation ought to be introduced to adopt the Clinton guidelines that were put in place several years ago that allow broader research.''
-- Actress May Tyler Moore, international chairman, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, on CNN - ``I'm pleased, very pleased. You always wish it were more, but compared to what we were all fearing might happen, this is good.''
-- Dr. James Dobson, president, Focus on the Family, on CNN
- ``I give the president's decision generally a 'thumbs up.' There are still some aspects to it we want to look at. I think he found a solution ... He didn't call for federal funds to be expended to take human life, to kill those little embryos. that was our great concern. We were pleased ... He implied life begins at conception.''
Email this story - Most-emailed articles - Most-viewed articles
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Related News Categories: health, politics, US Market News