Bob Barr: “the practice of either embryo splitting or nuclear replacement technology, deliberately for the purposes of human…”

“the practice of either embryo splitting or nuclear replacement technology, deliberately for the purposes of human reproductive cloning, raises serious ethical issues we, as policy makers, must address. Having participated, as a member of the Judiciary Committee, in hearings on the ethics and practice of human cloning, I am pleased to support Congressman Weldon and Stupak's bill, H.R. 2505--the Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2001. This bill provides for an absolute prohibition on human cloning. The bill bans all forms of adult human and embryonic cloning, while not restricting areas of scientific research in the use of nuclear transfer or other cloning techniques to produce molecules, DNA, cells other than human embryos, tissues, organs, plants, or animals other than humans. In fact, the bill specifically protects and encourages the cloning of human tissues, so long as such procedures do not involve the creation of a cloned human embryo. The ability to produce an exact genetic replica of a human being, alive of deceased, carries with it an incredible responsibility. Beyond the fact the scientific community has yet to confirm the safety and efficacy of the procedure, human cloning is human experimentation taken to the furthest extreme. In fact, the National Bioethics Commission has quite clearly stated the creation of a human being by somatic cell nuclear transfer is both scientifically and ethically objectionable.”