Des Moines — The Iowa House is expected to debate lifting our state’s ban on human cloning today at 4pm.

Although House File 287’s title appears to address stem cell research, the bill actually repeals section 707B of the Iowa Code which bans human cloning. There is no ban on stem cell research in Iowa. To say this bill will uphold Iowa’s ban on cloning is misleading. While it is true reproductive cloning will be banned, the bill does legalize therapeutic cloning, a process which creates and ends a human life.

“Last night the Iowa House heard a lot of emotional testimony from both sides on this bill, but the contents of the bill, and the science of the issue, remain the same,” said Iowa Family Policy Center Action President Chuck Hurley. “This bill will legalize human cloning for the purpose of killing the cloned embryos for research.”

Once Iowans sift through the confusing rhetoric, it is clear this bill is about legalizing human cloning. Despite the claims of supporters, Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) is cloning.

Although the cloned organism is not produced using sperm, it is still fully human. Cloning is not achieved by sperm fertilizing an egg, but it creates a new human being, which if implanted in the uterus would grow to be a fully functioning person.

“Extreme pressure is being exerted on a few legislators, whose consciences are bothered by cloning and killing little human beings, to change their votes. We hope and pray that those legislators will listen to their consciences above all,” said Hurley. “Whatever their vote, we will be informing their constituents of their stand on human cloning.”

Hurley is available for further comment.