Nebraska Bans Public Funding for Destructive Embryo Research

This can only be good news!

48 of the 49 Nebraskan senators voted Tuesday to pass Legislative Bill 606 banning some human cloning. The measure was quickly signed by Governor Dave Heineman. The measure allows research grants to be given to institutions doing stem cell research without using embryos. The new law also prohibits public funding of research that creates or destroys embryos for stem cell research.

The bill was passed on condition that neither side in the debate would introduce more legislation regarding cloning or stem cell research unless one of three conditions are met: if private sector research is undertaken that destroys human embryos or creates cloned embryos; if scientific advances create new ethical considerations; or if the prohibitions in LB 606 were violated.

The measure was conditionally supported by the spokesman for Nebraska Right to Life, Julie Schmit-Albin, who said, "Though it isn't everything we wanted in LB 700, this is one of those times where we can gain something or achieve nothing and we chose the former." Schmit-Albin was referring to what she called "the true cloning ban." Nebraska Right to Life has been fighting for a cloning ban since 2000.

Previously the bill had included a prohibition only on cloning for reproductive purposes, a common ploy of the pro-cloning lobby to create the appearance of ethical principles. But pro-life lobbyists were able to change the measure to afford a degree of restriction on "therapeutic cloning", or cloning for stem cell research.

It's a step in the right direction, and hopefully Nebraskans will get a bill similar to the original one. Until then, we have to take every little victory we can get.