HR 534 or Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2003 bans all forms of cloning — even creating clusters of cells or an embryo for stem cell research. You don’t even have to be successful — just trying to create a clone would be a felony. What if another country breaks the technology first? Don’t even think about it. The 10 year / $1M fine applies to the import and export of clone material or anything derived from clone material. It passed through the House, 241 to 155. Kudos to the Clerk of the House for being Johnny-on-the-spot with the roll call.
The debate is this: if you leave cloned cells alone, they die. If you put them in a womb, they grow into a baby. Even if they don’t grow into babies, they can be used in stem cell research, which promises to give us an unprecedented ability to mess with the human body — like grow new organs. Interestingly, this isn’t a subphylum of the abortion issue. You’ll find abortion opponents for theraputic cloning, and vice versa.
HR 801, an alternative bill, would prohibit only the baby-making part, but ups the fines to $10 million.
a technology job is no excuse 