Several House Democrats stand behind Gov. Henry’s promised veto of HB1326

Oklahoma City (April 22, 2009) State Capitol – Several Democrats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives expressed their support of Gov. Brad Henry’s promised veto tonight of HB1326, which would ban using embryonic stem cells for research.

“I strongly support Gov. Henry’s veto, and I will be the first vote to sustain his veto,” said Rep. Ryan Kiesel, D-Seminole.

“Anyone who tries to tell you HB1326 is a pro-life bill is gravely mistaken.  Passing this bill into law would not save a single life – in fact, it will prevent doctors from finding ways to save lives.”

Rep. Kiesel noted that several groups, including the State Chamber of Commerce, stand behind Gov. Henry’s pending veto of the bill because it could seriously hamper Oklahoma’s ability to attract research scientists, biotech companies and physicians who serve primarily as caregivers, but also engage in some research.

“Part of the reason why this is a bad bill is the harm it would do to our economic development and Oklahoma’s health care industry.  But that’s only a part of it – the more important part is that we could ease suffering and save lives by rejecting this ban,” Rep. Kiesel added.

If this research is permitted, it would not cost lives, as there are strict limits on how embryos can be used.  Stem cells produced from this kind of research do not come from embryos that would at any point result in a pregnancy or birth of a child.

“No research would be done on embryos that would ever be implanted into a woman or ever create a life,” Rep. Jeannie McDaniel, D-Tulsa, stated.  “No embryo would be used for research without express consent from the man and the woman whose donated cells created the embryo.  There are other established barriers that would limit how and when these embryos can be used.

“Preventing this law from taking effect does not open us up to a slippery slope, it only allows people a choice of what to do with unused embryos.”

Though some would argue that allowing this kind of research would somehow take away life, Rep. McDaniel believes that argument requires false assumptions.

“The choice is not whether these blastocysts would ever produce life – it’s whether they’d be thrown in the trash, or become part of life-saving cures for diseases from cancer to Parkinson’s,” she added.

“If this bill becomes law it sends a message that throwing those stem cells into the garbage is acceptable, but using those cells for research to save lives makes you a criminal,” Rep. Kiesel stated.

Allowing research on these kinds of stem cells would help Oklahoma remain part of the fight to find cures and treatments for spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and several other debilitating diseases and injuries.

“There are over half a million embryos sitting in frozen storage awaiting disposal, and if laws like this pass, all of them will simply be discarded.  I don’t want to tell people that it’s better to use them for research than to dispose of them – I wouldn’t presume to tell them what is the better or the moral choice,” added Rep. Al McAffrey, D-Oklahoma City.  “But I also don’t want anyone telling these couples that throwing away these embryos is the only choice.

“Overriding the veto on this bill would imply that the state of Oklahoma supports these embryos being destroyed.  It would imply that we support destroying embryos than over and above easing pain and suffering from devastating diseases.  It would imply that we think it’s acceptable to sit back and watch as millions suffer, rather than fulfill our capacity to do otherwise,” Rep. McAffrey added.

“When I voted against this bill, I was faced with a decision that Gov. Henry also had to consider – whether or not to pass a law that would block possible cures for terrible diseases.  These embryos are forgotten and will be discarded, yet they offer us a potential window to learn more about the cures for diseases from Alzheimer’s to ALS.

He concluded, “I’m in favor of fighting debilitating injuries and curing disease, and because of that, I stand behind Gov. Henry’s veto.”