OREGON EMERGENCY: GOP Bullying Kills New Stem Cell Research Program?
by diverdonreed
Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 09:57:53 AM PDT
Oregon: one of the most beautiful states in the Union: green forests, blue
sea, crashing white waves on black rock cliffs-and the scene of some ugly
bullying by the state Republican party.
diverdonreed's diary :: ::

It seems two Republican representatives had the audacity to be co-sponsors
of a bill to support embryonic stem cell research in Oregon.
Rep. Vicki Berger (R-Salem) and Rep. Bob Jenson (R-Pendleton) had taken a
stand beside the 74% of Oregonians who support expanding the research.
(poll: Portland-based Riley Research Associates, 2005)
However, the Republican leadership quickly whipped them into line-forcing
them to withdraw their support for the life-saving possibilities of stem
cell research.
How was this done? How could party leaders force an elected representative
to vote against both their consciences and the will of their constituents?
Well, how about being threatened with the loss of your job?
According to the Associated Press, "...sources at the Capitol said they
could also have been warned that a vote for the measure could bring on a
primary challenge."-"Stem cell research bill dies on Oregon House floor",
Julia Silverman, Associated Press Writer, June 21, 2007.
In other words, the two Representatives had to vote against stem cell
research, or the Republican party would find someone to run against them.
And the other party? Every Democrat except one voted in favor of the
research bill. The lone exception was Rep. Betty Komp, (D-Woodburn), who
represents a heavily Catholic district. She stated that she had prayed about
the matter, and reportedly checked with the Archbishop. Her religious
beliefs apparently require her to vote against cure research which might
save lives and ease suffering-which irritates the heck out of me-but at
least she was allowed to vote her conscience, unlike the Republicans.
But all is not lost: there is still a chance to save the bill. A
parliamentary maneuver by bill sponsor Rep. Larry Galizio, (D-Tigard) may
allow a revote...

We only need one more vote to pass the bill.

There are three Republicans who might change their mind, if asked.

Do stem cell research a favor, and call them up, or email them.
They are:
Rep. Scott Bruun: (503) 986-1437, [log in to unmask]
Rep. Bob Jenson: (503) 986-1458, [log in to unmask]
Rep. Vicki Berger: (503) 503-986-1420 [log in to unmask]

Call or email them today, and just say you hope they will support HB 2801,
the stem cell research bill, which may come back for a revote.
You might even mention that Oregon's national level champions, Republicans
Gordon Smith and Greg Walden, both stood up for their constituents, and
voted yes on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.
A one-sentence letter might make all the difference-especially if you live
in Oregon-but even if you don't, it is worth a try. All it takes is
something like:
Dear Representative:
As (state your involvement: for me, it is "as a father of a paralyzed young
man") I strongly support HB 2801, allowing Oregon to support stem cell
research.
That's it, that's really all a political action letter has to do. If you
want to add more, that's fine of course, but that one sentence is what
counts.
We don't want to let an entire state lose its chance to support the
research.
We also don't want any political party to think they can quietly kill our
best hopes for cure. They must know we are watching, and that they will be
held accountable for their decisions at their next job review-the elections.
Here are two background articles.
Stem cell research bill dies on Oregon House floor
By JULIA SILVERMAN
Associated Press Writer
SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Anti-abortion groups scored a rare victory Thursday in a
legislative session that's been dominated by Democratic priorities, by
derailing a bill that would have put Oregon among the growing number of
states exploring public funding for stem cell research.
California, Illinois, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have
all launched such programs, and supporters in Oregon had sketched out the
guidelines for the state to follow suit.
Plans called for spending about $160,000 over the next 18 months to support
a committee of researchers, medical ethicists, family law specialists and
members of the public. The group would be charged with writing guidelines
for future state investment in stem cell research, and seeking both public
and private donations.
But the proposal infuriated anti-abortion groups, who don't want to see stem
cells harvested from embryos used for scientific research.
Usually, such embryos are left over from fertility clinics; adult stem cells
are also used for research purposes. But the Oregon proposal also makes
reference to stem cells that are created from a process called "nuclear
transfer" - in which the nucleus is removed from a female egg, and replaced
with a nucleus from another part of the body that contains the DNA necessary
to form an embryo.
For scientists, such embryo creation holds great promise to find cures for
diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes and multiple sclerosis,
said Dr. Dan Dorsa, vice president for research at Oregon Health & Science
University. Scientists don't yet know which source of stem cells will be
most effective, Dorsa said, and need to be able to gather as much
information as possible.
But for anti-abortion groups, such procedures veer dangerously close to
human cloning.
"The creation of a brand new life for the specific purpose of destroying it
really resonates with our folks," said Lois Anderson, political director for
Oregon Right to Life. "It is devaluing the dignity of human life."
Researchers, though, have said there would never be a case in which an
embryo created through nuclear transfer would be implanted into a womb, and
carried through a pregnancy.
"The scientific community in general would reject any potential use of the
embryo so derived to create human beings. That would raise huge ethical
issues," Dorsa said.
Two Republicans had joined with Democrats to sponsor the bill in its
original incarnation - Rep. Vicki Berger of Salem and Rep. Bob Jenson of
Pendleton. Both said Thursday they had changed their minds after learning
more about the proposal. But sources at the Capitol said they could also
have been warned that a vote for the measure could bring on a primary
challenge.
"I am a strong believer in the potential of stem cell research," said
Jenson, who has type-2 diabetes. "But when I spend taxpayer money for
something some believe is immoral, I need a little more time to think about
it than in this session."
The entire Republican caucus in the House voted against the bill, along with
a single Democrat, Rep. Betty Komp of Woodburn, who represents a heavily
Catholic district.
"My Democratic colleagues have been very gracious and accepting that we do
have differences of belief, and I need to vote my beliefs and values," said
Komp, a Catholic who said she had prayed over her vote.
The final vote was 30 "yes" votes and 29 "no" votes, but a measure needs at
least 31 votes to pass. Rep. Larry Galizio, D-Tigard, then changed his vote,
opening the door for the bill to return for one more go-around.
Stem cell research could emerge as a potent issue in upcoming elections, and
could be a liability for Republicans in a general election. A 2005 poll by
Portland-based Riley Research Associates showed widespread support, with 74
percent of Oregonians saying they'd like to see an increase in the amount of
stem cell research being conducted, and 56 percent saying taxpayer money
should be used to fund such research.
Supporters of the bill pledged that the topic will resurface, if not this
year than in upcoming sessions.
"We have a moral imperative to help provide hope, and perhaps cures, to all
these debilitating diseases," Galizio said.
But Gayle Atteberry, who leads Oregon Right to Life, the state's largest
anti-abortion group, said Thursday's action makes it a "successful session"
for her organization.
Earlier this week, President Bush vetoed embryonic stem cell legislation for
the second time in his presidency.
--
Eds: The bill is HB2801B
Stem cell research bill fails
Posted by The Oregonian June 21, 2007 16:01PM
Categories: Bill watch, Breaking News
A bill increasing Oregon's focus on stem cell research failed to pass the
state House on Thursday, one day after President Bush vetoed a bill to
federally fund embryonic stem cell research.
House Bill 2801 would have created a committee to draft guidelines for human
stem cell research in Oregon and a fund for that research. The bill covered
both embryonic and adult stem cell research. The bill did not include any
money for the research fund, but it did include $160,000 over two years to
help the state Department of Human Services support the committee. The bill
condemned cloning to create humans, but allowed for what some call
"therapeutic cloning," a way to make embryos genetically identical to
adults, whose stem cells could be harvested for research.
The 30-29 vote fell one shy of the 31 yeses needed to pass the bill. All
Democrats voted yes except Betty Komp, of Woodburn. All Republicans voted
no, except Gene Whisnant of Sun River, who was absent. That includes
co-sponsors Vicki Berger, R-Salem, and Bob Jenson, R-Pendleton. Bill sponsor
Larry Galizio, D-Tigard, then changed his vote, so the bill could be
reconsidered Friday. For a new vote to matter, Galizio must find a
Republican willing to vote against the rest of the party, a tough task.
"If I can't find one more vote very soon, the bill will die, at least this
session," he said.
-- Andy Dworkin
And, here is the bill itself.
                        House Bill 2801
                 Ordered by the House June 18
      Including House Amendments dated May 7 and June 18
Sponsored by Representatives GALIZIO, GREENLICK; Representatives
 BARKER, BARNHART, BERGER, BOONE, BUCKLEY, CANNON, CLEM, COWAN,
 D EDWARDS, GELSER, HOLVEY, HUNT, JENSON, MACPHERSON, MERKLEY,
 NOLAN, READ, ROBLAN, ROSENBAUM, SCHAUFLER, SHIELDS, TOMEI,
 WITT, Senator BATES

Email Ray if you want to see the entire bill [log in to unmask]
THANKS

Rayilyn Brown
Board Member AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation
[log in to unmask]

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