Bits 'n' Pieces
Embryonic stem cell research
Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry
attacked President George W. Bush for his views on
embryonic stem cell research (ESCR), saying he is putting politics before
science. "The American people deserve a president who understands that
when America invests in science and technology and higher education,
we can build a new and stronger economy for the 21st century … While
the Bush administration has politicized science, (Kerry would) put America
back on the path of scientific excellence with a commitment to scientific
research based on fact - not ideology." Bush spokesman Scott
McClellan replied, "The president doesn't believe we should
be creating life for the sole purpose of destroying life" ... Senate
Majority Leader Bill Frist stood shoulder-to-shoulder
with Bush on ESCR, telling Fox News, "I feel, and I think the
president feels, that the human embryo is three things: It's living,
it's biologically human and it is differentiated genetically. And those
three things justify saying that it has moral significance" ... Among
the 58 senators signing a letter urging President Bush to rescind restrictions
on ESCR were pro-life Republicans Lamar Alexander (Tenn.),
Thad Cochran, Orrin Hatch (Utah) and Trent
Lott. Dr. James Dobson, founder and chairman
of Focus on the Family, said he was "disappointed"
with the letter and said specifically of the four pro-life senators
that they "seem to have lost their moral compasses" ... Wisconsin Governor
Jim Doyle (D) lobbies national Democrats to include
support for ESCR as part of the party's platform.
United States
Senator Barbara Boxer (D - Calif.) will propose legislation
to require the Department of Defence to pay for abortions for women
in the military who are victims of sexual assault. Current law allows
abortions on military bases only in cases of rape or incest or to save
the life of the mother. The changes will also allow for taxpayer-funded
abortion on military bases in cases of rape and incest, something that
is not currently allowed … Congressional supporters of abortion sent
a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell to get
the administration to reverse its policy of withholding taxpayer funding
from the United Nation's Population Fund ... Beverly Todd Nolte, a former
vice-president of marketing and lobbyist for Planned Parenthood of Nebraska
and Council Bluffs, has been hired to lead the Great Plains (Nebraska)
Council of the Girl Scouts of America. Jim Sedlak of the anti-Planned
Parenthood STOPP International, said, "It would be naive to believe
that Nolte's appointment is a coincidence, or that it won't translate
into a stronger Planned Parenthood influence over the young girls who
are a part of this council."
International
Dutch Health Minister Clemence Ross reminded doctors of their duty
to report euthanasia cases after figures for 2003 revealed that for
the fourth year in a row, the number of reported cases had declined,
to a total of 1,815, down from 2,123 in 2000. Ross said it is unclear
whether fewer Dutch patients are choosing euthanasia or whether doctors
are just not reporting them ... The Dutch government has added dementia
to the list of permitted reasons for euthanasia ... The Bulgarian parliament
defeated a measure to liberalize its euthanasia law by a vote of 93-14
... Australian Health Minister Tony Abbott is considering restricting
the ability of teens to obtain the abortifacient "morning-after" pill,
which is currently available over-the-counter. The Australian Medical
Association has welcomed Abbott's move to reconsider teenage access
to the drug ... Statistics from New Zealand show that the number of
abortion committed in 2003 rose 6.5 per cent to a total of 18,510. Carmel
Armstrong of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child described
the situation as "a major crisis" ... Spain's new Socialist government
announced plans to legalize abortion on demand during the first 12 weeks
of pregnancy. Abortion is currently available in cases of rape, fetal
deformity or when the physical or mental health of the mother is threatened
... The Arab League is considering a ban on all forms of human cloning.
Supporters of the proposal hope that the agreement will be signed by
all Arab countries before the September 2005 United Nations meeting
on cloning ... The United Kingdom's Human Fertilization and Embryology
Authority (HFEA) has solicited opinions to decide whether to approve
an application from the International Centre for Life to clone human
beings for research ... British scientists are lobbying the HFEA to
not raise their licensing fees for embryonic stem cell research, saying
many universities and charities involved with ESCR would not be able
to pay it.
