[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 10 (Tuesday, February 8, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and 
were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-401. a resolution adopted by the House of the 
     legislature of the State of Michigan relative to proposed 
     guidelines for federally funded research using stem cells 
     harvested from human embryos; to the Committee on Health, 
     Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                        House Resolution No. 253

       Whereas, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has 
     published, for public comment, guidelines for federally 
     funded research projects using stem cells destructively 
     harvested from human embryos; and
       Whereas, Since 1996, Congress has prohibited federally 
     funded research in which human embryos are harmed or 
     destroyed; and
       Whereas, The state of Michigan has a long legal and ethical 
     tradition of respecting life at its earliest stages; and
       Whereas, Michigan law prohibits any research that destroys 
     human embryos, so the NIH guidelines, in effect, instruct 
     researchers in how to harvest stem cells from embryos in ways 
     that constitute criminal activity in this state; and
       Whereas, Michigan has taken the unparalleled step in this 
     country of respecting human life at its earliest stages by 
     prohibiting the use of cloning to create human embryos for 
     research; and
       Whereas, Medical ethics historically have rejected 
     justifying research in the name of medical progress when it 
     requires harming or destroying innocent human lives; and
       Whereas, Numerous avenues for developing new medical 
     treatments from stem cells that do not require the 
     destruction of human embryos have shown great clinical 
     promise; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we strongly 
     object to the National Institutes of Health proposed 
     guidelines and policies regarding research on human embryos 
     to ensure full accordance with federal laws that prohibit NIH 
     involvement in destructive embryo research; and be it further
       Resolved, That we urge the NIH to withdraw the proposed 
     guidelines and to clarify NIH guidelines and policies 
     regarding research on human embryos to ensure full accordance 
     with federal laws that prohibit NIH involvement in 
     destructive embryo research; and be it further
       Resolved, That we urge the National Institutes of Health to 
     direct all proposed funding for stem cell research to 
     projects that do not use stem cells destructively harvested 
     from human embryos; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the National Institutes of Health, the Secretary of the 
     United States Department of Health and Human Services, the 
     President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, the members of the 
     Michigan congressional delegation, and the President of the 
     United States.
                                  ____

       POM-402. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Cincinnati, Ohio relative to the ``Defense of Privacy Act''; 
     to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.

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