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Religious Organization Commends Frist, Urges Senate to Pass Stem Cell Bill; Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Statement

Posted on: Friday, 29 July 2005, 15:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, July 29 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a statement of Reverend Carlton W. Veazey, president, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice:

Senator William Frist's announcement that he now supports loosening President Bush's strict limitations on funding embryonic stem cell research gives hope that the leaders of this country will stop playing politics with people's health. Some Members of Congress and interest groups have stalled this legislation by unconscionably placing their ideology above the lives of Americans with incurable diseases. It's time to end the ideological stranglehold and pass legislation to fund this life- saving research.

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) calls on the Senate to pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, with appropriate added restrictions, as noted by Senator Frist. We urge President Bush-who has said he will veto legislation to expand funding for research with excess human embryos-to consider the policies adopted by many Christian and Jewish denominations, including his own United Methodist Church. He should also consider the feelings of almost two thirds of the American public: that it is compassionate, humane, and moral to put these excess embryos to use in seeking to alleviate human suffering now and in the future. President Bush should sign this bill for moral and medical reasons.

Frist's speech on the Senate floor Friday outlined a number of restrictions he proposes for this research. RCRC supports carefully regulated research and also urges Senators and President Bush to honor the wishes of those who want to donate their excess embryos rather have them destroyed for no purpose. The Senate is scheduled to consider the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, along with a number of other bills on this research, when it returns from August recess.

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, founded in 1973, is the national coalition of organizations and agencies from 15 denominations, including the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalism, and Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist Judaism, and Catholics for a Free Choice and other independent religious organizations.

http://www.usnewswire.com

Source: U.S. Newswire

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