WASHINGTON (July 12, 2006)—With the U.S. Senate poised to consider three
bills relating to bioethics and stem cell research, Cardinal William H.
Keeler urged support for two of those bills—which, he said, respect both
science and ethics—and rejection of a bill which would force taxpayers to
support the destruction of early human life.
In a letter to the Senate, Cardinal Keeler expressed support for S. 2754,
the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act, and S.
3504, the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act. He called on the Senate to reject
H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, “in the name of sound
ethics and responsible science.”
In accordance with a unanimous consent agreement approved on June 29, the
Senate may vote on all three bills the week of July 17.
Cardinal Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore, is Chairman of the Committee for
Pro-Life Activities, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
The Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act would fund
efforts to derive and study cells which have the capabilities of embryonic
stem cells but which are not obtained by destroying human embryos.
“Many studies suggest that stem cells from adult tissues and umbilical
cord blood already have the versatility once thought to exist only in
embryonic cells, or may acquire this versatility by various forms of
‘reprogramming’,” Cardinal Keeler explained. He wrote that “the effort to
explore all feasible avenues of research that do not attack human life is
worth pursuing.”
The Fetus Farming Prohibition Act amends current federal law against
abuses in the area of fetal tissue research. It would prevent the use of
human fetal tissue (such as fetal stem cells) obtained by growing human
embryos in a human or animal uterus in order to provide such tissue.
Cardinal Keeler noted that most animal studies cited in support of
so-called therapeutic cloning have required placing cloned animal embryos
in a womb and growing them to the fetal stage to obtain usable stem cells.
Some state laws, including one in New Jersey, could allow such “fetus
farming” to harvest human body parts.
“Now is the time to enact a national policy against such grotesque abuse
of women and children by approving S. 3504,” the Cardinal wrote.
Cardinal Keeler said that H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement
Act, violates a decades-long policy against forcing taxpayers to support
the destruction of early human life. “Federal funds would promote research
using ‘new’ embryonic stem cell lines, encouraging researchers to destroy
countless human embryos to provide more cell lines and qualify for federal
grants,” the Cardinal said. “However, no alleged future ‘promise’ can
justify promoting the destruction of innocent human life here and now,
whatever its age or condition.”
“While these moral considerations are paramount, it is also worth noting
that the factual assumptions behind the embryonic stem cell campaign are
questionable,” Cardinal Keeler continued. “Embryonic stem cell research is
not showing the remarkable ‘promise’ claimed by supporters, but lags far
behind adult stem cells and other approaches that are providing real
treatments for dozens of conditions.”
“In short, the Senate has an opportunity to approve two bills that respect
both science and ethics — and to reject misguided legislation that ignores
ethical demands in its pursuit of an ever more speculative and elusive
‘progress’,” Cardinal Keeler said. “Technical progress that makes humans
themselves into mere raw material for research is in fact a regress in our
humanity. Therefore, I strongly urge you to oppose H.R. 810, and to
approve the other two bills proposed as part of this agreement.”
NOTE: The full text of Cardinal Keeler’s letter can be found on the Web at
www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/bioethic/stemcell/keelerhr810.pdf.