Sam Brownback: “We are talking about prohibiting the taking of genetic material from outside the human species and injecting it into the…”

“We are talking about prohibiting the taking of genetic material from outside the human species and injecting it into the human species, to where it can be passed on to future generations. I point out to my colleagues that this is the modern face of eugenics, the desire to create perfect people, as if we can become a biologically perfectible artifact. This is a dangerous thing. It is an ugly thing that has reared its head in history previously, and its modern face involves taking genetic material wherever we can find it and putting it in. It should be banned. It is currently allowed. It is currently being researched in this country. It should be stopped. I look forward to working with the chairman of the HELP Committee to see if we can tighten up the language to address it in the Congress in the near term before people start actually doing this. It is completely allowed now, with no prohibitions.”