Senate Sponsors of the Good and Bad Bills on Human Cloning

As of April 14, 2002, the following 29 U.S. Senators had sponsored the genuine ban on human cloning (S. 1899), sponsored by Senator Sam Brownback (R-Ks.) (in order of state): Shelby (R-Al.), Sessions (R-Al.), Murkowski (Ak.), Kyl (R-Az.), Hutchinson (R-Ar.), Allard (R-Co.), Grassley (R-Iowa), Bunning (R-Ky.), Craig (R-Id.), Crapo (R-Id.), Fitzgerald (R-Il.), McConnell (R-Ky.), Landrieu (D-La.), Lott (R-Ms.), Bond (R-Mo.), Burns (R-Mt.), Hagel (R-Ne.), Ensign (R-Nv.), Gregg (R-NH), Robert Smith (R- NH), Helms (R-NC), DeWine (R-Ohio), Voinovich (R-Ohio), Nickles (R-Ok.), Inhofe (R-Ok.), Santorum (R-Pa.), Bennett (R- Utah), and Enzi (R-Wy.).

Four senators have sponsored the competing "clone and kill" bill (S. 1893) introduced by Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa). This bill is misleadingly labeled as a "human cloning prohibition," but in reality it would permit so-called "therapeutic cloning" -- that is, it would allow the cloning of human embryos, but forbid these embryos to be placed in a womb. Harkin's cosponsors are Boxer (D-Ca.), Reid (D-Nv.), and Specter (R-Pa.).

In addition, eight senators have sponsored the similar "clone and kill" bill (S. 1758) introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.). The sponsors are, in addition to Feinstein: Boxer (D-Ca.), Miller (D-Ga.), Durbin (D-Il.), Mikulski (D-Md.), Kennedy (D-Ma.), Corzine (D-NJ), and Clinton (D-NY).

On April 9, 2002, Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) introduced a third bill (S. 2076) that would prohibit only the implantation of cloned human embryos (thereby, in effect, establishing a "clone and kill" policy). Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) co-sponsored that bill on April 12.

You can obtain up-to-date lists of the cosponsors and status of these bills (or any other congressional legislation) on the congressional website known as "Thomas," at http://thomas.loc.gov.