WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 29, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The Pro-Life Secretariat of the U.S. bishops' conference applauded Senators Sam Brownback and Mary Landrieu for reintroducing the Human Cloning Prohibition Act.
Shortly before the House of Representatives approved a similar bill in 2003, the bishops' Committee for Pro-Life Activities urged Congress to "ban this practice outright." It said at the time: "Cloning dehumanizes human procreation, treating new human life as a mere laboratory product made to specifications."
Today, Deirdre McQuade, a spokeswoman for the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, said: "The Human Cloning Prohibition Act has clear precedent domestically and overseas. Five states and over 20 countries have similar complete bans on cloning.
"The United Nations has urged its member nations to enact such bans to preserve human dignity and protect women's health."
McQuade added: "The cloning agenda poses a tremendous risk to women, as it would require exploiting countless women as egg factories. Women have died from the hormonal manipulation required for egg extraction. Others have become seriously ill or lost their natural fertility at a young age."
The bishops' aide stated: "We urge other senators to support and co-sponsor this vital legislation to protect women as well as embryonic humans from exploitation."
Code: ZE07032926
Date: 2007-03-29