| HB 2598 |
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HealthcareHB 2009 is a 256-page bill that would massively overhaul the health care system in Oregon. It would establish a new bureaucracy, the Oregon Health Authority, and institute single-payer, government run healthcare. Such a system should give pro-life Oregonians pause. Government run health care has proven to be a threat to the elderly and handicapped receiving the basic medical care. Internationally, as well as in the US, such systems deem efficiency as the priority over individualized patient care. Human Cloning and Embryonic Stem Cell ResearchHB 2598 would establish the Human Stem Cell Research Committee, in the Department of Human Services, for the purpose of developing guidelines for research involving human stem cells. It would also establish a Human Stem Cell Research Grant Fund and authorize the committee to seek public and private donations as well as grants to fund the research. HB 2598 does not specify if the stem cell research is adult or embryonic. However, the bill does specifically mention creating guidelines for the use of “somatic cell nuclear transfer,” a method of human cloning that requires the destruction of human embryos. This means that HB 2598 creates a format for the state to use both tax dollars and private dollars to promote embryonic stem cell research and human cloning (somatic cell nuclear transfer) for the purpose of harvesting embryonic stem cells. HB 2598 does contain contradictory language in Section 8. It creates a new, Class C Felony for the act of “human cloning.” It does not, however, define human cloning. This runs contrary to the bill’s promotion of somatic cell nuclear transfer – a method of human cloning. Confused? You’re not the only one.
*** UPDATE *** On April 14th, the House Sustainability and Economic Development Committee voted to pass HB 2598 out of committee. Before being passed out of committee, members adopted an amendment that made significant changes to the language of the bill, without changing its goals or consequences. The amendments deleted all references to somatic cell nuclear transfer and clarified the bill’s “ban” on human cloning. Now, HB 2598-A only bans – and specifically bans – “reproductive human cloning.” It does not ban “therapeutic human cloning”. The purpose of “therapeutic human cloning” is to create human life (embryos) then kill the embryo to use its stem cells for research. Under HB 2598-A it would be legal to clone humans and let them grow up to 14 days. After that, Section 7 of HB 2598-A requires cloned human embryos to be destroyed. HB 2598-A is not a true ban on human cloning. HB 2598-A still allows the creation of human life and mandates the killing of that very life. HB 2598-A was passed out of the Sustainability and Economic Development Committee. It is currently awaiting action in the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Service. If passed out of Ways and Means, the bill will move on to a vote by the full Oregon House of Representatives. If passed out of the House, the bill will be sent to an Oregon Senate Committee, then to the full Oregon Senate. If HB 2598-A passes all these stages, it will be signed into law by the Governor. |