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NJ Assembly RollCall Stem Cells, 1st Ld-Writethru

12/15/2003, 8:50 p.m. ET (AP) — The Assembly voted 41-31 with seven abstentions Monday to approve a bill that supports stem cell research. "Y" is yes, "N" is no, "X" is no vote.

Ahearn, Matt, I-Bergen Y
Altamuro, Stephen, R-Gloucester N
Arnone, Michael J., R-Monmouth N
Asselta, Nicholas, R-Cumberland N
Azzolina, Joseph, R-Monmouth X
Barnes, Peter J., D-Middlesex Y
Bateman, Christopher, R-Somerset X
Biondi, Peter, R-Somerset N
Blee, Frank, R-Atlantic N
Bodine, Francis L., R-Burlington N
Bramnick, Jon, R-Union, N
Burzichelli, John J., D-Gloucester Y
Caraballo, Wilfredo, D-Essex Y
Carroll, Michael P., R-Morris N
Chatzidakis, Larry, R-Burlington N
Chivukula, Upendra J., D-Somerset Y
Cohen, Neil M., D-Union Y
Conaway, Herbert, D-Burlington Y
Conners, Jack, D-Camden Y
Connors, Christopher J., R-Ocean N
Conover, Kirk, R-Atlantic N
Corodemus, Steve, R-Monmouth N
Cruz-Perez, Nilsa, D-Camden Y
Cryan, Joseph, D-Union Y
Dancer, Ronald, R-Ocean N
DeCroce, Alex, R-Morris N
Diegnan, Patrick J., D-Middlesex N
DiGaetano, Paul, R-Passaic N
Doherty, Michael J., R-Warren N
Doria, Joseph V., D-Hudson Y
Eagler, Peter C., D-Passaic Y
Edwards, Willis, D-Essex Y
Egan, Joseph V., D-Middlesex Y
Farragher, Clare M., R-Monmouth N
Fisher, Douglas H., D-Cumberland Y
Fraguela, Rafael J., R-Hudson Y
Friscia, Arline M., R-Middlesex X
Green, Jerry, D-Union Y
Greenstein, Linda, D-Middlesex Y
Greenwald, Louis D., D-Camden Y
Gregg, Guy, R-Morris N
Guear, Gary L., D-Mercer Y
Gusciora, W. Reed, D-Mercer Y
Hackett, Mims, D-Essex Y
Heck, Rose M., R-Bergen N
Holzapfel, James W., R-Ocean X
Impreveduto, Anthony, D-Hudson Y
Johnson, Gordon M., D-Bergen Y
Kean, Sean, R-Monmouth N
Malone, Joseph, R-Burlington X
McKeon, John F., D-Essex Y
McHose, Alison, R-Sussex N
Merkt, Richard, R-Morris N
Munoz, Eric, R-Union N
Myers, Connie, R-Hunterdon N
O'Toole, Kevin, R-Essex N
Payne, William, D-Essex Y
Pennacchio, Joseph, R-Morris N
Perez-Cinciarelli, Elba, D-Hudson Y
Pou, Nellie, D-Passaic Y
Previte, Mary, D-Camden X
Quigley, Joan, D-Hudson Y
Roberts, Joseph J., D-Camden Y
Rooney, John E., R-Bergen N
Rumpf, Brian, R-Ocean N
Russo, David C., R-Bergen N
Scalera, Frederick, D-Bergen Y
Sires, Albio, D-Hudson Y
Smith, Robert J., D-Gloucester Y
Stanley, Craig, D-Essex Y
Steele, Rev. Alfred, D-Passaic N
Stender, Linda, D-Union Y
Thompson, Sam, R-Monmouth X
Tucker, Donald, D-Essex Y
Van Drew, Jeff, D-Cape May Y
Vandervalk, Charlotte, R-Bergen X
Watson-Coleman, Bonnie, D-Mercer Y
Weinberg, Loretta, D-Bergen Y
Wisniewski, John S., D-Middlesex Y
Wolfe, David W., R-Ocean N
Note: Assembly 44D, 36R
Overrides: two-thirds or 54 votes.
Amendments: three-fifths or 48 votes.

Late this afternoon, the NJ Assembly passed the NJ Cloning Bill. The bill narrowly passed after much arm twisting with 40 Democrats and one Green Party member voting for the bill. Only Democratic Assemblyman Alfred Steele voted against the bill and one Democratic Assemblywoman Mary Previte abstained.

Below is the roll call vote. All Republicans took a party position, either voting no or abstained. Many Catholic Democrats voted for the bill. They include, but are not limited to Peter Barnes, Joseph Egan, Nilsa Cruz-Perez, Jack Conners, Peter Eagler, Joseph Roberts, Joseph Cryan, Rafael J. Fraguela , Frederick Scalera, Joseph Doria, Joan Quigley, Albio Sires, Nellie Pou, Anthony Impreveduto, John Wisniewski.

Many thanks go out to the following Republican Assembly members who spoke out very eloquently against the bill. Assemblywoman Alison McHose, Michael Doherty, Mike Carroll, Joe Pennachio, Clare Farragher, Joe Malone, Eric Munoz.

Also, please consider sending a thank you to Assemblyman Alfred Steele and Assemblywoman Mary Previte for holding firm to their convictions.

The bill now goes to McGreevey who said he will sign the bill. Call Governor McGreevey at 609 292-6000, Fax at 609 292-3454. Urge him to veto the bill.

Thanks for the information!

Senate (S1909) Version Vote Tally

Stem-cell research bill squeaks through Assembly
McGreevey says he'll sign it, putting Jersey at odds with Bush policy

Tuesday, December 16, 2003

BY ROBERT SCHWANEBERG
Star-Ledger Staff

Supporters said it could lead to a cure for diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's and other diseases. Opponents warned it would permit "ghoulish" fetus farms in which genetically designed humans were bred solely to be slaughtered for their organs.

In the end, a bill making New Jersey the second state to officially encourage medical research using embryonic stem cells passed the Assembly yesterday by a single vote. Passage came despite opposition by the state's Catholic bishops and anti-abortion activists. It also flew in the face of President Bush's sharp restriction of embryonic stem cell research.

The bill now goes to Gov. James E. McGreevey, who said last night, "I look forward to signing it into law."

Thirty-nine Democrats were joined by Assemblymen Rafael Fraguela (R-Hudson) and Matt Ahearn (Green Party-Bergen) in mustering the 41 votes needed to pass the bill in the 80-member Assembly. The vote followed an emotional 45-minute debate.

Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D-Union), a sponsor who went desk to desk, cajoling wavering colleagues during the 10 minutes the voting board was kept open, said securing the bill's passage "will be the most significant thing I do in my life."

In an impassioned speech, Cohen said embryonic stem cell research holds the promise of eventual cures for the millions of Americans afflicted by Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, multiple sclerosis, cancer, diabetes, paralysis and other ailments. He told his fellow lawmakers the proposal was "the most significant law we'll pass this century."

The bill's main sponsor, Senate Co-President Richard Codey (D-Essex), called its passage "a fantastic opportunity for New Jersey to show the rest of the world we intend to promote medical progress rather than stifle it."

The passage came 12 months after the Senate approved the bill. Following yesterday's vote, Assembly Republican leader Alex DeCroce (R-Morris) booted Fraguela out of the GOP caucus for breaking ranks with the party.

Marie Tasy, director of public and legislative affairs for New Jersey Right to Life, said that if McGreevey signs the bill, "we'll have the shameful distinction of being the cloning capital of the world."

The bill makes it a crime punishable by 20 years in prison to clone a human being, but opponents said that provision bans only the actual birth of a living human clone.

Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Warren) said a cloned embryo could be carried in a womb "almost completely to birth" and killed "to take its body parts" without violating the bill. Right to Life ran radio advertisements yesterday warning of "ghoulish" fetal farms.

Addressing that charge, Cohen told fellow lawmakers it was "an absurdity" to think either he or the bill would allow "fetal farming," adding that anyone who implanted a cloned embryo into a womb would face criminal prosecution for attempted cloning. He said any embryo used in stem cell research would "stay in the petri dish."

New Jersey's Catholic bishops opposed the bill because the only way to obtain embryonic stem cells, they said, "is to kill the living human embryo."

"We believe it is more important than ever to stand for the principle that government must not treat any living human being as research material, as a mere means for benefit to others," the bishops wrote.

The Catholic Conference added that research using adult stem cells does not raise such ethical objections and holds great promise, while the prospect of embryonic stem cell research leading to cures remains "pure conjecture."

But J. Richard Goldstein, president of the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals, said yesterday that embryonic stem cells are more adaptable and "seem to be better suited for the research."

Although the bill provides no funding, Goldstein said officially encouraging stem cell research -- as California has done -- could draw scientists to New Jersey.

"Right now some of our best scientists are studying in Europe rather than America," Goldstein said. "This puts us back into the game to be No. 1 in research."

In 2001, in an effort to prevent the destruction of any more embryos, Bush limited federal funding to existing lines of embryonic stem cells. At the time, they were believed to number about 60, but last May the director of the National Institutes of Health said only 11 were available for research.

Codey's bill aims to expand the number of embryonic stem cell lines by informing couples undergoing in vitro fertilization that they have the option of donating any unused embryos for medical research.

"You have thousands of eggs from in vitro fertilization that are going to be flushed down the sewer," Cohen said. He urged his colleagues to instead allow them to be used to find a cure for disease.

Robert Schwaneberg covers legal issues. He can be reached at rschwaneberg@starledger.com or (609) 989-0324.

Newark Star Ledger Article

CELLING LIES (Stem Cell Myths exposed by Michael Fumento)

Lies About Fetal Stem Cell Research

Adult Cells Do It Better

The NJ RTL is a Non-Sectarian/non-partisan organization but off the record, they were aghast, to say the least when they found out that Gov. McGreevey was going to sign the bill on the Lord's day, Sunday, during advent , on the Sunday before Christmas; FYI the Governor ran on an Irish Catholic platform promoting his family values with his Nurse Mother and Marine Corps/Drill Instructor Father. Freepers from all states are encouraged to call the Governor, once cloning starts here, other states are sure to follow.

New Jersey Right to Life

Act Now! Governor McGreevey to sign Clone and Kill Bill on Sunday, December 21, 2003
December 17, 2003 Dear Pro-Life Friends: I just received word that Governor McGreevey is supposed to sign A2840/S1909 on Sunday, December 21, 2003, right before Christmas. This bill is an assault on humanity!! Please deluge his office with phone calls and faxes and emails. Please do all three. Urge him to veto this bill! His phone number is 609 292-6000. Fax number is (609) 292-3454 e-mail: http://www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html December 19, 2003 Dear Pro-Life Friends: Below is a Joint Statement from NJ Members of Congress, Chris Smith, Michael Ferguson and Scott Garrett issued today urging Governor McGreevey to reconsider A2840/S2909. Please continue to call and fax Governor McGreevey. Urge him to Veto S1909/A2840. PLEASE ACT NOW! PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO YOUR EMAIL AND PHONE NETWORKS! CALL GOVERNOR MCGREEVEY ASAP AT 609 292-6000, EMAIL HIM AT http://www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html Thank you Marie Tasy The New Jersey State Legislature has narrowly passed the most extreme and ethically flawed pro-cloning legislation in the country, which has been sent to Governor McGreevey for his consideration. In response, three of New Jersey’s U.S. Representatives – Chris Smith (R-Hamilton), Mike Ferguson (R-Warren), and Scott Garrett (R-Wantage) made the following statement urging the Governor to carefully and soberly reconsider the full legal and moral ramifications of signing this unprecedented proposal into law. “We urge the Governor take a step back from a historic and troubling threshold that ought not be crossed lightly. “The bill being considered for signature on McGreevey’s desk would not only allow the cloning of human beings for research purposes, but would also allow cloned human embryos to be implanted into a woman’s womb, allow the cloned human to develop to the fetal stage, and then use this human child for research where he or she could be killed for their ‘spare parts.’ “This legislation will launch New Jersey blindly into the vanguard of terrible human rights violations and grisly human experimentation. We are literally facing the prospect of creating a human clone, and implanting this cloned baby into a woman’s womb. Once this happens, nothing can stop the world’s first human clone from being born and starting a horrible new era of human history. “As advocates for increased funding to support life-affirming biomedical research, we fully understand the drive to cure debilitating diseases and to improve health care for those who are suffering. But allowing human fetus farms for research is not an ethical or practical solution. “Rather, the priority should be to fund the most ethical and the most promising avenues of research – adult stem cell research – which could find cures that will not exploit human life and incite controversy. Each dollar that goes toward projects that clone humans and destroy human life at its earliest stage of development takes away from ethical research that is moving forward at an incredible rate and that does not have the ethical baggage attached to human cloning. “Furthermore, proponents of human cloning used a lame duck session to jam through the most extreme legislation in the country. We commend the significant number of Assembly members who voted against this deeply flawed bill, and we urge the Governor to step back from the brink of a wholly preventable disaster. “The use of adult stem cell and cord blood stem cell research is ethical and successful. Adult stem cells are already being used to successfully treat humans suffering from cancers, autoimmune diseases, anemias, immunodeficiencies, bone and cartilage deformities, corneal scarring, stroke, heart damage, Parkinson’s, and skin damage. “Adult and cord blood stem cells are able to generate virtually all tissue types; they can multiply almost indefinitely to be used for treatment; they have proven successful in laboratory culture and in animal models; and they have the ability to find and repair damage. Unlike embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells do not cause tumors, and they do not have the problem of transplant rejection.

More Info. on Cloning