Judiciary Committee to Mark-up Human Cloning Prohibition Act Wednesday 2/11/2003
From: Jeff Lungren or Terry Shawn, 202-225-2492, both of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Web site: http://www.house.gov/judiciary News Advisory: Judiciary Committee to Mark-up Human Cloning Prohibition Act Wednesday WHAT: Markup of H.R. 534, the "Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2003" WHO: Full Committee on the Judiciary -- Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wis.), chairman WHEN: 10:15 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 12 WHERE: Room 2141 Rayburn House Office Building In recent months, the group Clonaid claims to have produced three human clones. While this claim seems to be nothing more than a hoax, there are reputable scientists and physicians that have announced their intentions to produce a human clone. Currently, nothing clearly prohibits cloning in the United States. The Human Cloning Prohibition Act would ban human cloning, but not restrict the use of cloning technologies to produce molecules, DNA, tissues, and cells other than human embryos. H.R. 534 would not prohibit stem cell research that does not require cloning of humans. Similar legislation (H.R. 2505) passed the House by a 265-162 margin on July 31, 2001, but died in the Senate. This Legislation will... -- Prohibit any person or entity from cloning or attempting to clone humans. -- Prohibit the importation of an embryo produced by human cloning. -- Penalties for violating the ban include fines and/or imprisonment for not more than ten years, and possible civil penalties of not less than $1 million. This Legislation will Not... -- Prohibit research in the use of nuclear transfer or other cloning techniques to produce molecules, DNA, cells other than human embryos, tissues, organs, plants, or animals other than humans. |