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July 29,
2005
Union
of Orthodox Jewish Congregations
of America
Welcomes Senate Majority Leader Frist's
Support for Stem Cell Research Funding
The Union of
Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America - the nation's largest
Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization - welcomed this morning's
address to the U.S. Senate by Majority Leader Bill Frist
expressing his support for expanding federal funding for embryonic
(and other forms) of stem cell research.
The Senator reiterated principles he set forth to govern such
research funding questions in 2001 and announced that, consistent
with those principles, he will support a modified version of the
bipartisan Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which passed the
U.S. House in May, 2005.
The principles set forth by Senator Frist are consistent with the
principles held by Orthodox Jewish teaching and avocated by the
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations to members of Congress and
the Administration.
See:
http://www.ou.org/public/statements/2001/nate34.htm
and
http://www.ou.org/pdf/5765/StemCell05Senate.pdf
and more generally
http://www.ou.org/public/Publib/cloning.htm
These
principles include the need for establishing "a fully funded and
empowered oversight body comprised of scientists and
bio-ethicists, and periodic reviews by relevant Executive branch
agencies and congressional committees."
Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, executive vice president of the Orthodox
Union (who has met and discussed this matter with Senator Frist)
stated:
"The Orthodox Jewish community welcomes and appreciates the
important and thoughtful statement made by Senator Frist on the
Senate floor this morning. Senator Frist's standing in the medical
and political communities will certainly advance the debate over
the critical issue of stem cell reserach funding in a substantial
and thoughtful way to the benefit of all Americans."
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