“REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON BIOETHICS”
The East Room, May 24, 2005
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. Good afternoon, and
welcome to the White House. I have just met with 21 remarkable
families. Each of them has answered the call to ensure that our
society’s most vulnerable members are protected and defended at
every stage of life.
The families here today have either adopted or given up for
adoption frozen embryos that remained after fertility treatments.
Rather than discard these embryos created during in vitro
fertilization, or turn them over for research that destroys them,
these families have chosen a life-affirming alternative. Twenty-one
children here today found a chance for life with loving
parents.
I believe America must pursue the tremendous possibilities of
science, and I believe we can do so while still fostering and
encouraging respect for human life in all its stages. In the
complex debate over embryonic stem cell research, we must remember
that real human lives are involved — both the lives of those with
diseases that might find cures from this research, and the lives of
the embryos that will be destroyed in the process. The children
here today are reminders that every human life is a precious gift
of matchless value.
I appreciate Mike Leavitt, Department of Health and Human
Services, for being here. He’s the Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human Services. I picked a really good man to take on
this assignment. He’s doing a fine job.
I want to thank the Executive Director of Nightlight Christian
Adoptions, Ron Stoddart, for joining us today. Welcome. I want to
thank Lori Maze, the Director of Snowflakes Frozen Embryo Adoption
program. Welcome, Lori. Thank you for coming. And thank you all for
being here.
The rapid advance of science presents us with the hope of
eventual cures for terrible diseases, and with profound moral and
ethical dilemmas. The decisions we make today will have
far-reaching consequences. So we must aggressively move forward
with medical research, while also maintaining the highest ethical
standards.
Research on stem cells derived from human embryos may offer
great promise, but the way those cells are derived today destroys
the embryo. I share the hope of millions of Americans who
desperately want to find treatments and cures for terrible diseases
such as juvenile diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. That is why my
administration completing — completed the doubling of the NIH
budget to $29 billion a year, to encourage research. I also made
available for the first time federal funds for embryonic stem cell
research in order to explore the potential of these cells.
But I also recognize the grave moral issues at stake. So, in
August 2000 first — 2001, I set forward a policy to advance stem
cell research in a responsible way by funding research on stem cell
lines derived only from embryos that had already been destroyed.
This policy set a clear standard: We should not use public money to
support the further destruction of human life
Under this policy we have supported a great deal of ethical
research. About 600 shipments of eligible stem cell lines are
already being used by researchers across the country, and over
3,000 more shipments are still available. We’ve increased funding
for all forms of stem cell research by more than 80 percent since I
took office. A tremendous amount of both public and private
research is underway in America on embryonic, as well as adult stem
cells, and stem cells from umbilical cord blood.
Today the House of Representatives is considering a bill that
violates the clear standard I set four years ago. This bill would
take us across a critical ethical line by creating new incentives
for the ongoing destruction of emerging human life. Crossing this
line would be a great mistake.
Even now researchers are exploring alternative sources of stem
cells, such as adult bone marrow and umbilical cord blood, as well
as different ethical ways of getting the same kind of cells now
taken from embryos without violating human life or dignity. With
the right policies and the right techniques, we can pursue
scientific progress while still fulfilling our moral duties.
I want to thank Nightlight Christian Adoptions for their good
work. Nightlight’s embryo adoption program has now matched over 200
biological parents with about 140 adoptive families, resulting in
the birth of 81 children so far, with more on the way.
The children here today remind us that there is no such thing as
a spare embryo. Every embryo is unique and genetically complete,
like every other human being. And each of us started out our life
this way. These lives are not raw material to be exploited, but
gifts. And I commend each of the families here today for accepting
the gift of these children and offering them the gift of your
love.
Thank you for coming today. By the way, we’re having a little
birthday gathering just in a second for Tanner and Noelle. You all
are invited to partake in a little birthday cake. In the meantime,
may God bless you and your families, and may God continue to bless
our country. Thank you.
