House Votes to Criminalize Cloning On July 31, 2001, the House of Representa- tives debated and voted on legislation to ban somatic cell nuclear transfer technol- ogy for both reproductive and therapeutic purposes. The Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2001, sponsored by Rep. Dave Weldon (R- FL),  if it becomes law,  would ban all so- matic cell nuclear transfer technology and institute  criminal  penalties  of  up  to  10 years in prison and civil penalties starting at $1 million for anyone that performs, at- tempts to perform, participates, or ships or receives somatic cell nuclear transfer tech- nology or its products.  In addition, the bill would ban the  importation  into  the United States of any prod- uct of the technology, which would prevent  Americans from being able to take ad- vantage  of  any  cures  or treatments developed over- seas. The  major  amendment considered  by  the  House was    offered  by  Rep.  Jim Greenwood  (R-PA)  and Rep. Peter Deutsch (D-FL). Their amendment would have only pre- vented somatic cell nuclear transfer tech- nology  for reproduction,  but  not  for  re- search.    It  would  also  have  required  re- searchers who intend to conduct human somatic  cell  nuclear  transfer  research  to register with the Department of Health and Human Services.  The Amendment failed by a vote of 178 – 249, with 25 Republi- cans in support and  53 Democrats in op- position. A successful amendment, by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), would require a study by the General Accounting Office, to  be  completed  in  four years, to assess the contin- ued need for the prohibition on cloning, including a re- view of new developments in medical technology.  This amendment was supported by all sides and approved by voice vote. As the difficult afternoon progressed  with  nerves frayed and tempers short, the debate on the bill and the Greenwood/Deutsch amend- ment got contentious and sometimes per- sonal. Supporters  of  the  Weldon  bill  argued that all cloning must be prohibited because allowing  some  cloning would  start  down  a  slip- pery slope toward cloning for  reproduction.    Some members  even  expressed fear  about  the  creation  of “embryo farms.” Opponents of the Weldon legislation took full advan- tage of House rules by trying to redraft the Weldon bill to allow the use of human so- matic cell nuclear transfer in connection with the develop- ment or application of treatments designed to address Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, spi- nal  cord  injury,  multiple  sclerosis,  severe burns, or other diseases, disorders or condi- tions provided that the product of such use is not utilized to initiate a pregnancy.  These parliamentary maneuvers rarely work and are routinely used to make a point.   The mo- P  U  B  L  I  C     P  O  L  I  C  Y B R I E F I N G August  2001 Continue                                             11 The Human Cloning Pro- hibition Act of 2001 spon- sored   by   Rep.   Dave Weldon  (R-FL),  if  it  be- comes law, would ban all somatic   cell   nuclear transfer technology and institute criminal penalties of up to 10 years in prison and civil penalties starting at $1 million. As the difficult afternoon progressed  with  nerves frayed and tempers short, the  debate  on  the  bill and  the  Greenwood/ Deutsch amendment got contentious  and  some- times personal.