Washington DC, Apr 9, 2007 / 09:25 am (CNA).- Cardinal Justin Rigali has urged U.S. senators to reject legislation (S. 5), which would allow federal funding for stem cell research, including stem cells derived from the destruction of embryos. Senators are expected to vote on the bill this week.In his letter to the Senate, dated April 4, Cardinal Rigali emphasized that the stem cell issue is not a matter of opposing progress. Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, is chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee for Pro-Life Activities.
“The question is whether our technical progress is guided by an equally advanced sense of the dignity of each and every human life,” the Cardinal wrote. He cited Pope Benedict XVI in saying that research, which relies on the intentional destruction of human life — including human life which is not yet born — is not truly at the service of humanity.
Story here, Letter here, Bill here,
There is also another bill up which describes its purposes as:
It is the purpose of this Act to--
(1) intensify research that may result in improved understanding of or treatments for diseases and other adverse health conditions; and
(2) promote the derivation of pluripotent stem cell lines without the creation of human embryos for research purposes and without the destruction or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a human embryo or embryos other than those that are naturally dead.
Skimming this bill (S. 30), it seems like a good direction for the Senate to be heading. However, it seems as if S. 5 (the bill on embryonic research) is everyone's darling. They can only approve one, lets pray it is S. 30.
It is scheduled to go up on the bloc later today...we need to pray.
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