by Staff, posted Tuesday, March 17, 2009 (15 years ago)
WASHINGTON (BP)--President Obama renewed a ban on federal funding of research that harms human embryos only two days after issuing an executive order that lifted a prohibition on government grants for destructive embryonic stem cell research.
Meanwhile, Concerned Women for America (CWA) confirmed March 17 that leaders of some pro-life organizations are scheduled to meet soon with a representative of the Obama administration to discuss reducing the number of abortions in the United States.
The March 11 maintenance of the embryo research funding ban, first reported by CNSNews.com, occurred as a result of the president signing into law a $410 billion omnibus spending bill that funds the operation of several federal agencies through September. Included in the appropriations measure was funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The ban, known as the Dickey-Wicker Amendment, has been a part of HHS spending legislation since 1996. Named after its sponsors, former Republican Reps. Jay Dickey of Arkansas and Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the measure prohibits federal funds from being used for the creation of human embryos for research as well as for experimentation in which the health or life of embryos is threatened or destroyed.
Though the Dickey-Wicker Amendment is viable through the end of this fiscal year, its existence and effectiveness were brought into question after Obama signed his order on embryonic stem cell research March 9. The new order lifted a ban on funds for stem cell research that results in the destruction of embryos. It rescinded a policy instituted by President Bush in August 2001. Read More
