Religious Org Condones stem cell commends Frist decision

WASHINGTON, July 29 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a statement of
Reverend Carlton W. Veazey, president, Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice:

Senator William Frist's announcement that he now supports loosening
President Bush's strict limitations on funding embryonic stem cell
research gives hope that the leaders of this country will stop
playing politics with people's health. Some Members of Congress and
interest groups have stalled this legislation by unconscionably
placing their ideology above the lives of Americans with incurable
diseases. It's time to end the ideological stranglehold and pass
legislation to fund this life- saving research.

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) calls on the
Senate to pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, with
appropriate added restrictions, as noted by Senator Frist. We urge
President Bush-who has said he will veto legislation to expand
funding for research with excess human embryos-to consider the
policies adopted by many Christian and Jewish denominations,
including his own United Methodist Church. He should also consider
the feelings of almost two thirds of the American public: that it is
compassionate, humane, and moral to put these excess embryos to use
in seeking to alleviate human suffering now and in the future.
President Bush should sign this bill for moral and medical reasons.

Frist's speech on the Senate floor Friday outlined a number of
restrictions he proposes for this research. RCRC supports carefully
regulated research and also urges Senators and President Bush to
honor the wishes of those who want to donate their excess embryos
rather have them destroyed for no purpose. The Senate is scheduled
to consider the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, along with a
number of other bills on this research, when it returns from August
recess.

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, founded in 1973, is
the national coalition of organizations and agencies from 15
denominations, including the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church
USA, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, Unitarian
Universalism, and Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist
Judaism, and Catholics for a Free Choice and other independent
religious organizations.

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And thier could religous coalition for reproductive choice.