Sam Brownback: “I continue to note the bill that is pending is about a patenting issue. It is about banning patents, and it is not about…”

“I continue to note the bill that is pending is about a patenting issue. It is about banning patents, and it is not about banning patents on unfertilized eggs. The bill is on the zygote, embryo, fetus, child or adult; a living organism made by human cloning or a process of human cloning. That is the operative part. The zygote is the very young, fertilized egg. I agree that the unfertilized egg is not a person, to maybe clarify that in the debate. I don't think the unfertilized egg is a person and it is not protected under what we are proposing on this issue about patenting. The issue in front of us is patenting. I also respond to my dear colleague from Utah that what we are proposing does not ban research on human cloning, that he would like to proceed. I disagree with that, but the pending issue is not about banning human cloning. It says that what we should do is not allow patenting of human clones or of young people. It is a narrow issue.”