We should not use public money to support the...destruction of human life

[paineinthearse]

"We should not use public money to support the further destruction of human life." GW Bush, 5/24/05

President Discusses Embryo Adoption and Ethical Stem Cell Research
The East Room
President's Remarks
2:07 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. Good afternoon, and welcome to the White House. I have just met with 21 remarkable families. Each of them has answered the call to ensure that our society's most vulnerable members are protected and defended at every stage of life.

The families here today have either adopted or given up for adoption frozen embryos that remained after fertility treatments. Rather than discard these embryos created during in vitro fertilization, or turn them over for research that destroys them, these families have chosen a life-affirming alternative. Twenty-one children here today found a chance for life with loving parents. (Applause.)

I believe America must pursue the tremendous possibilities of science, and I believe we can do so while still fostering and encouraging respect for human life in all its stages. (Applause.) In the complex debate over embryonic stem cell research, we must remember that real human lives are involved --both the lives of those with diseases that might find cures from this research, and the lives of the embryos that will be destroyed in the process. The children here today are reminders that every human life is a precious gift of matchless value. (Applause.)

I appreciate Mike Leavitt, Department of Health and Human Services, for being here. He's the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. I picked a really good man to take on this assignment. He's doing a fine job. (Applause.)

I want to thank the Executive Director of Nightlight Christian Adoptions, Ron Stoddart, for joining us today. Welcome. (Applause.) I want to thank Lori Maze, the Director of Snowflakes Frozen Embryo Adoption program. Welcome, Lori. Thank you for coming. (Applause.) And thank you all for being here.

The rapid advance of science presents us with the hope of eventual cures for terrible diseases, and with profound moral and ethical dilemmas. The decisions we make today will have far-reaching consequences. So we must aggressively move forward with medical research, while also maintaining the highest ethical standards.

Research on stem cells derived from human embryos may offer great promise, but the way those cells are derived today destroys the embryo. I share the hope of millions of Americans who desperately want to find treatments and cures for terrible diseases such as juvenile diabetes and Parkinson's disease. That is why my administration completing -- completed the doubling of the NIH budget to $29 billion a year, to encourage research. I also made available for the first time federal funds for embryonic stem cell research in order to explore the potential of these cells.

But I also recognize the grave moral issues at stake. So, in August 2000 first -- 2001, I set forward a policy to advance stem cell research in a responsible way by funding research on stem cell lines derived only from embryos that had already been destroyed. This policy set a clear standard:

We should not use public money to support the further destruction of human life.

(Applause.)

Under this policy we have supported a great deal of ethical research. About 600 shipments of eligible stem cell lines are already being used by researchers across the country, and over 3,000 more shipments are still available. We've increased funding for all forms of stem cell research by more than 80 percent since I took office. A tremendous amount of both public and private research is underway in America on embryonic, as well as adult stem cells, and stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

Today the House of Representatives is considering a bill that violates the clear standard I set four years ago. This bill would take us across a critical ethical line by creating new incentives for the ongoing destruction of emerging human life. Crossing this line would be a great mistake.

Even now researchers are exploring alternative sources of stem cells, such as adult bone marrow and umbilical cord blood, as well as different ethical ways of getting the same kind of cells now taken from embryos without violating human life or dignity. With the right policies and the right techniques, we can pursue scientific progress while still fulfilling our moral duties.

I want to thank Nightlight Christian Adoptions for their good work. Nightlight's embryo adoption program has now matched over 200 biological parents with about 140 adoptive families, resulting in the birth of 81 children so far, with more on the way. (Applause.)

The children here today remind us that there is no such thing as a spare embryo. Every embryo is unique and genetically complete, like every other human being. And each of us started out our life this way. These lives are not raw material to be exploited, but gifts. And I commend each of the families here today for accepting the gift of these children and offering them the gift of your love. (Applause.)

Thank you for coming today. By the way, we're having a little birthday gathering just in a second for Tanner and Noelle. You all are invited to partake in a little birthday cake. (Laughter.) In the meantime, may God bless you and your families, and may God continue to bless our country. Thank you. (Applause.)

END 2:15 P.M. EDT

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Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050524-12.html



View video at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050524-12.html#

[rodeodance]

1. "for the ongoing destruction of emerging human life."--+8 cells

(I believe).

[Erika]

2. MSNBC says there are 400,000 embryos now sheduled for

destruction (tossed out in the trash}. Bush's answer is? Bush is once again way out of the mainstream.

[wtmusic]

3. That kinda says it all.

Man I can't even look at that poster anymore. It used to make me sad. Now it just makes me pissed.

[bejammin075]

14. that bottle is priceless

[jayctravis]

4. kicked and recommended

[geckosfeet]

5. What a floundering idiot.

[applegrove]

6. Are those the faces of the casualties in Iraq? Oh my gosh - they

are just puppies. They look so young.

[beam me up scottie]

7. I was on my way to bed but

I had to respond.

"Nightlight's embryo adoption program" ?

"Snowflakes Frozen Embryo Adoption program" ?

:rofl:

Who makes this shit up? EMBRYO adoption ? It's almost too ridiculous for even the chimperor.
How many embryos are we talking about here?
Are they just going to keep them all in the freezer next to the popcicles until somebody "adopts" them?
And who the hell is going to carry all these "children"?
Uh Oh, on second thought, don't answer that, this administration already views women as ambulatory incubators.

[Extend a Hand]

8. here's a fun little quiz

for these buttholes:

http://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/embryo/embryoflash.html
wonder how many opposing stem cell research could get it right?

[Gelliebeans]

9. I am so angry

I can't even articulate my words.
I wish for one moment this ass in the white house would have to walk in the shoes of the millions of people who are desperately waiting for research to come to fruition.

He thinks nothing of spending humongous amounts of money on his war for oil and the lives of our soldiers are no sweat off his brow. Also, the lives of all Americans with crippling diseases are not important enough to further research. I am so angry that I can't see straight.

Did I say just how much I hate this fuckwit?
Tonight this hit me hard, I sat on the phone with my mom and cried. I have had it.

[beam me up scottie]

15. AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH

I'm with you, Gellie.

Listening to him, you would think that there were no "spare" children already in the world.
And since he's so concerned about those frozen embryos, I guess the reichwing is going to allow gay couples to "adopt" some of these "spare children", right? :sarcasm:

[oxbow]

10. We should pin those words on him

every time he talks about Iraq and how great it is over there, we should spit these words back in his face. God I wish his handlers would let him out. Just let him be with normal people for a minute.

[EFerrari]

11. Then it follows that this man should resign immediately.

If that baby is a girl, he intends to risk her reproductive health. If that baby is a boy, he intends to send him off to wars of choice that line his cronies pockets. No wonder he's baring his teeth.

Put your resignation where your sound bites are, Mr. pResident.

www.votetoimpeach.org

[opihimoimoi]

12. Our Military war machine is funded by taxpayers monies.... it is supposed

to be used for DEFENSE.....the title sez so. DEFENSE DEPT....

NOT OFFENSE....as in the Iraqi War.

We squander hundreds of Billions of taxpayers money to KILL Hundreds of OUR peeps and hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi Lives???

So what the Hell is the Psuedo Prez talking about with this SCR thing? Is he only concerned with KILLING and not HEALING?

[hector459]

13. Isn't it "public money" that pays for prisoner executions? n/t

[GOPBasher]

16. Just what, exactly, are we doing in Iraq?

:shrug:

[Karenina]

17. Committing genocide?

:shrug:

[GOPBasher]

19. Right. And of course, that's totally different than

"destroying human life with tax money," right? At least they're not hypocrites. :eyes:

[MaineDem]

18. How many executions did he approve in TX?

Sounds a bit hypocritical to me.

[MnFishhead]

20. If they don't want to support stem-cell research...

...then why should they reap the rewards it may produce?

Let those who voted against stem-cell research sign a pact precluding them and their heirs from ever getting treatment derived from stem-cell research. Let them suffer needlessly from Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, spinal-cord injuries and every other debilitating disease or injury that could benefit from stem-cell research. Maybe one of their precious embryos will find the cure.

Fair enough?

[smoogatz]

21. You'd think these good Christians

might start by adoptiong all the unwanted post-born children (many with special needs) currently languishing in state children's services facilities and foster care.

Also, you have to wonder what kind of person would sell their own embyos to these fundie freaks. Isn't buying and selling people kind of, um, wrong?

[Norquist Nemesis]

22. Privatize It!!!

That's really what he is saying. It's perfectly fine and dandy with him that private enterprise goes ahead. Yippy skippedy doo dah yee haw! The qualifiers "public money" and "taxpayer dollars" somehow justify it though.

Bush and the rest of the Morally Outraged Extremists need to answer why if it is immoral for "public money" to support the research, why isn't it also immoral for private enterprise? When it comes to "moral issues", the item up for discussion either IS or it ISN'T! Nuancing it as "not supported by taxpayer money" is nothing but high hypocracy!

[Nothing Without Hope]

23. Wow, great choice of images for the opening post. The murderer.

Recommended.

Another great statement by the Murder-in-CHief: telling senators ignore pressure from their contituents over the social security issue. That's basically saying he's the dictator and the people should have no voice at all. Which is what he believes should happen, but it's amazing that it was stated so brazenly. Then again, things have really gone downhill a long, long way.

Here's the link:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3721897

[merh]

24. So the weed is calling home the troops?

"We should not use public money to support the...destruction of human life." :shrug:

I mean I don't like them using my tax dollars to kill people in their illegal and immoral war, not to mention spending the money to send our military over there to be killed.

Works for me Mr. pRez. - BRING THE TROOPS HOME!!! :argh:

No more killing in Iraq or Afghanistan in my name! NOT IN MY NAME.

[Up2Late]

25. Did anyone notice the HUGE lie 2 lines later?!?

"...About 600 shipments of eligible stem cell lines are already being used by researchers across the country, and over 3,000 more shipments are still available...."

That's total BS! Whenyou eliminate the Mouse contaminated stem cells, they have about 24 lines they can use, which is too few.:mad: