For immediate release: Wednesday, April 3, 2002
Contact: Douglas Johnson, Legislative Director, NRLC, 202-626-8820, Legfederal@aol.com
National Right to Life Radio Ads Urge Sens. Conrad and Dorgan to Join
Congressman Pomeroy and President Bush to Ban Human Embryo FarmsBeginning today, North Dakota Right to Life, in concert with the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), is sponsoring two radio ads on the issue of banning the cloning of human embryos. The ads ask listeners to urge Senators Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan to support a bill to ban the cloning of human embryos -- a bill already supported by Rep. Earl Pomeroy and President Bush. The ads will begin running April 3 on about a dozen stations in Bismark, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Minot.
The transcripts of the two ads appear below. To listen to the first ad, "North Dakota Says No to Human Embryo Farms," in mp3 format, click HERE. (Requires Windows Media Player, Real Player, or similar media player software.) To listen to the second ad, "Senators Conrad and Dorgan – Undecided on Human Embryo Farms," click HERE.
The ads anticipate U.S. Senate action this month or next on a bill (S. 1899), sponsored by Senators Sam Brownback (R-Ks.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.), that would ban the cloning of human embryos. The Brownback-Landrieu bill is supported by National Right to Life, North Dakota Right to Life, and other pro-life groups. It is also supported by a broad coalition of environmental organizations, women’s health organizations, and other groups not associated with the pro-life movement. (For more information on the coalition to ban all human cloning, see www.cloninginformation.org.) The biotechnology industry lobby is pushing a counter-proposal, falsely labeled as a "human cloning ban," which in reality would permit so-called "therapeutic cloning" -- that is, the mass cloning of human embryos for use in lethal experiments or as medical commodities.
The first ad, "North Dakota Says No to Human Embryo Farms," highlights a recent open letter in support of the Brownback bill, signed by 25 prominent North Dakota leaders, including bishops of the Catholic, United Methodist, and Episcopal churches; the chairman of the Dakota chapter of the Sierra Club; and former Governor George Sinner, among others. The ad notes that the U.S. House has already passed the bill, and that President Bush supports it -- but that Senators Conrad and Dorgan are undecided on the Brownback bill, and may vote instead for the competing biotech industry bill that would "allow human embryo farms to open for profit."
The second ad, "Senators Conrad and Dorgan – Undecided on Human Embryo Farms," warns, "Some biotechnology corporations are working on a nightmare project. Using cloning techniques already used on animals, they plan to clone human embryos, then kill them in experimentation. These wealthy corporations plan to start human embryo farms, for profit." The ad urges listeners to call the senators to "urge them to vote NO on human embryo farms."
Contact NRLC at Legfederal@aol.com for documentation on the statements made in the ads. For further information on the Brownback-Landrieu bill and the "clone and kill" legislation being pushed by the biotechnology industry, see the NRLC website at www.nrlc.org/Killing_Embryos/Index.html.
North Dakota Says No to Human Embryo Farms
60-second radio ad
NARRATOR: This is an urgent message from North Dakota Right to Life.
MAN: Look at all these people who agree! The heads of the state Sierra Club and Right to Life. State leaders of the Catholic, Episcopal, and United Methodist churches. Former Governor George Sinner, and many others!
WOMAN: Amazing! They agree on what?
MAN: They all say this: "We urge our U.S. Senators to support a ban on all human cloning and reject legislation that allows cloning for research purposes."
WOMAN: That’s the Brownback bill! It already passed the House. Congressman Pomeroy voted for it, and President Bush favors it.
MAN: But Senators Dorgan and Conrad are still undecided. They might vote for a competing bill that would allow biotechnology corporations to clone human embryos for the purpose of killing them in experiments.
WOMAN: You mean they might vote to allow human embryo farms to open for profit? That’s not what North Dakotans want!
NARRATOR: Please call toll free: Senators Conrad at 1-800-223-4457 and Dorgan at 1-800-666-4482. Urge them to vote NO on the cloning of human embryos.
Senators Conrad and Dorgan – Undecided on
Human Embryo Farms
60-second radio ad
MAN: This is an urgent message from North Dakota Right to Life.
WOMAN: What a mystery! Each of us began our lives as a tiny human embryo, with a lifetime of possibilities before us.
[ominous audio tone] But now, some biotechnology corporations are working on a nightmare project. Using cloning techniques already used on animals, they plan to clone human embryos, then kill them in experimentation. These wealthy corporations plan to start human embryo farms, for profit. [tone ends]
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill to ban the cloning of human embryos. President Bush has urged the Senate to pass the same bill – the Brownback bill.
Our senators, Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan, are undecided. Their decisions may determine whether human embryo farms open for business.
MAN: Please call, toll-free: Senators Conrad at 1-800-223-4457 and Dorgan at 1-800-666-4482. Urge them to vote NO on human embryo farms.