Cloning Seen as Abortion-like Issue

Sen. Tim Huelskamp, R-Fowler, proposed to ban taxpayer-funded research with embryonic stem cells, during a Senate debate on Wednesday. He attempted to limit his proposal to $11.7 billion state budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, which failed.

Rep. Mary Pilcher Cook, R-Shawnee, got the approval of a proposal for research with adult stem cells or umbilical cord blood, as alternatives to embryonic stem cells. She failed to add a proposal to make it a felony to create or attempt to create human-animal hybrids.

Huelskamp and Pilcher Cook are abortion opponents. Their ideas have the support of Kansans for Life, the state's largest anti-abortion group.

This type of proposals worry some legislators, who fear that anti-cloning legislation could be written in such a way to damage a new biosciences industry in the Kansas City area.


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