Candidate Positions

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-12-28-huckabee_N.htm

Huckabee opposes embryonic stem cell research, emergency contraception and stricter gun laws — all of which rank high on the list of deal-breakers for many of the religious conservatives whose support he’s ridden to the top of the Republican presidential field.

Original source: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2004pres/20040808.html

Statement by Tommy G. Thompson
Secretary of Health and Human Services
On the President’s Embryonic Stem Cell Policy

Three years ago, President Bush opened the nation’s laboratory doors for the first time to federal taxpayer funding for human embryonic stem cell research. The President remains committed to this groundbreaking policy that is advancing medical research into some of our most debilitating diseases. As we look forward to further progress on stem cell research, both embryonic and adult, it is important to keep in mind several important points.

President Bush provided — for the first time — federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. The President’s unprecedented decision allows for federal funding of research using existing stem cell lines that were derived before Aug. 9, 2001, with no limits on private funding of research. The President believes that federal funds should not be used to encourage or support further destruction of human embryos, a principle that has been part of federal law since 1996. The impact of the President’s decision was to open the flow of federal research dollars for embryonic stem cells and help accelerate work in this field.

The policy is working. Under President Bush, federal funding for embryonic stem cell research has grown from zero under previous administrations to $24.8 million in fiscal year 2003, with no limits on future federal funding of research on eligible lines. This investment has supported more than 500 shipments of stem cell lines to researchers around the world who are in the early stages of finding ways stem cells can be used to treat diseases such as neurological disorders, diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, in fiscal year 2003, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided $190.7 million in adult stem cell research, which continues to show exciting promise.

Original source: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll204.xml

Voted against Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act

Original source: http://brownback.senate.gov/english/legissues/cultureoflife/stemcellresearch.cfm

Embryonic stem cell research is research in which a living human embryo is killed for the purpose of extracting its cells for laboratory testing.

Clearly, we must to continue to work to find cures for diseases, and to alleviate suffering. However, it has never been acceptable to deliberately kill one innocent human being in order to help another. Life begins at the beginning at conception. Human beings develop from the one-celled stage onward, and deserve respect because of the dignity they have as human beings.

Central to the debate on embryonic stem cell research is our view of the human embryo. The central question in this debate is simple: Is the human embryo a person or piece of property? It is alive. Is it a life? If life begins at conception then we must protect this innocent human life from harm and destruction.

It is important to note that there are alternative legitimate areas of research, which are showing more promise than destructive embryonic stem cell research – areas that do not create the moral and ethical difficulties.

One of the most promising scientific findings is in regard to new advances being made in adult stem cell research. Dr. Donald Orlic of the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland comments, “We are currently finding that these adult stem cells can function as well, perhaps even better than, embryonic stem cells.” I strongly support aggressive research with adult stem cells, and I have supported doubling the budget for the National Institutes of Health.

Original source: http://www.parkinsonsaction.org/content/view/212/212/

Embryonic stem cell research is supported by such key Republicans as Sen. John McCain, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and former First Lady Nancy Reagan.

Original source: http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul252.html

by Rep. Ron Paul, MD

Medical and scientific ethics issues are in the news again, as Congress narrowly passed a bill last week that funds controversial embryonic stem cell research. While I certainly sympathize with those who understandably hope such research will lead to cures for terrible diseases, I object to forcing taxpayers who believe harvesting embryos is immoral to pay for it.

Congressional Republicans, eager to appease pro-life voters while still appearing suitably compassionate, supported a second bill that provides nearly $80 million for umbilical cord stem cell research. But it’s never compassionate to spend other people’s money for political benefit.

The issue is not whether the federal government should fund one type of stem cell research or another. The issue is whether the federal government should fund stem cell research at all. Clearly there is no constitutional authority for Congress to do so, which means individual states and private citizens should decide whether to permit, ban, or fund it. Neither party in Washington can fathom that millions and millions of Americans simply don’t want their tax dollars spent on government research of any kind. This viewpoint is never considered.

Federal funding of medical research guarantees the politicization of decisions about what types of research for what diseases will be funded. Scarce tax resources are allocated according to who has the most effective lobby, rather than on the basis of need or even likely success. Federal funding also causes researchers to neglect potential treatments and cures that do not qualify for federal funds. Medical advancements often result from radical ideas and approaches that are scoffed at initially by the establishment. When scientists become dependent on government funds, however, they quickly learn not to rock the boat and stick to accepted areas of inquiry. Federal funds thus distort the natural market for scientific research.

Original source: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/02/11/romney_draws_fire_on_stem_cells/

Governor Mitt Romney set off a storm of criticism yesterday after he declared in a published interview that he favored banning a specific type of stem cell research. Scientists and the leader of the state Senate accused him of trying to block a promising avenue of research, even as antiabortion groups assailed him for declaring that he did not object to stem cell research involving embryos from fertility clinics.

Romney took aim at stem cell research being planned at Harvard University, where embryos created by cloning would be used.

The governor said that he opposes “the creation of new human embryos for the purpose of research” and his aides indicated he would support criminal penalties for researchers who use new human embryos.

Original source: http://www.bluestateobserver.com/2006/07/scones-with-senator.html

Stem Cell research is something the Senator feels strongly about — and believes that it is wrong to limit the advancement of science. He spoke of the day when using a corpse for medical research was unheard of, and condemned — and pointed out that that would lead to many medical breakthroughs.

Original source: http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/2004/06/08/stemcellpush.php

June 4, 2004

The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write to urge you to expand the current federal policy concerning embryonic stem cell research.

As you know, embryonic stem cells have the potential to be used to treat and better understand deadly and disabling diseases and conditions that affect more than 100 million Americans, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and many others.

Embryonic stem cells can be derived from in vitro fertilized (IVF) embryos that are developed in excess of those needed for the procedure used to enable infertile couples to have children. The IVF process results in more embryos than are needed by the couple. There are estimated to be more than 400,000 IVF embryos, which are currently frozen and will likely be destroyed if not donated, with informed consent of the couple, for research.

We very much appreciate your words of support for the enormous potential of this research, and we know that you intended your policy to help promote this research to its fullest. As you know, the Administration’s policy limits federal funding only to embryonic stem cells that were derived by August 9, 2001, the date of the policy announcement.

However, scientists have told us that since the policy went into effect more than two years ago, we have learned that the embryonic stem cell lines eligible for federal funding will not be suitable to effectively promote this research. We therefore feel it is essential to relax the restrictions in the current policy for this research to be fully explored.

Among the difficult challenges with the current policy are the following:

Original source: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-stemcell12apr12,1,6449302.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

Former Sen. John Edwards, a North Carolina Democrat, strongly backs the research, while Democratic hopefuls Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois co-sponsored the Senate bill that would expand the number of embryonic stem-cell lines eligible for federally funded research.