Chris Smith: “Hannah is a happy 2\1/2\-year- old little girl. She is a normal, healthy toddler discovering the joys of life. In a few…”

“Hannah is a happy 2\1/2\-year- old little girl. She is a normal, healthy toddler discovering the joys of life. In a few days I hope to meet Hannah and when I do, I will reassure her that there is no such thing as a ``spare'' or ``leftover'' person. Although she may not yet understand what that means, her parents sure do. They understand perfectly, because little Hannah used to be a frozen embryo in an invitro fertilization clinic. She was what those who support embryonic stem cell research--research that destroys human embryos--callously call ``spare'' and ``leftover'' embryos. But Hannah is neither ``spare'' nor ``leftover,'' despite the fact that she spent a considerable amount of time in a deep-freeze tank that served as her frozen orphanage. The perky toddler could have been fodder for researchers, but instead today is talking a blue streak, and in a few years will go to school. Mr. Speaker, the story of Hannah and other adopted embryos underscores why we should not spend Federal tax dollars to destroy human embryos to steal their precious stem cells. These stem cells are not ours to take. And given the breathtaking discoveries from adult stem cell research, which does not rely on destroying human embryos, arguments for federally funding embryonic stem cells is less persuasive than ever. ____________________”