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New Jersey Governor Corzine to Push Lawmakers on Stem Cell Research Bill
Life News ^ | 04.18.06 | Steven Ertelt

Posted on 04/20/2006 10:17:17 PM PDT by Coleus

Trenton, NJ (LifeNews.com) -- Frustrated that the state legislature hasn't acted faster in getting a stem cell research bill approved, Gov. Jon Corzine said Monday he would use the bully pulpit of his office to press for its passage. Corzine said the bills have stalled because "the legislative process has the ability to tie it up in knots."

The governor called it "unconscionable," according to a Star-Ledger news report, that New Jersey political leaders have "sat on our hands" on the legislation. He indicated the state would fall behind others like Maryland and California if the measure wasn't approved soon. "This really needs to get moved up in the agenda. I'm going to start talking about the issue over and over again," the governor said.

The newspaper reports that Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts, who backs embryonic stem cell research, has refused to allow the state Assembly to further consider the stem cell research bill until the Senate acts on a needle exchange measure for drug users that he supports. In March, New Jersey lawmakers clarified some of the language. The measure would borrow millions in taxpayer funds to build new facilities that would engage in embryonic stem cell research pro-life groups oppose.

The stem cell institute planned for the southern part of the state will be located at the Rutgers campus. Two other facilities will be built in New Brunswick and at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark. Some legislators oppose the bill because it would include funds to destroy human life in embryonic research and others oppose it because it would have the state borrowing $200 million in a time of fiscal crisis.

During hearings on the bills, Dawn Parkot, who has cerebral palsy and several other ailments, told lawmakers that cures shouldn't be discovered on the back of killing unborn children. "We don't have any right to let an unborn baby or child die in order to give a disabled person even an excellent likelihood to get better, let alone fulfill the marginal promise that open-ended stem-cell research offers," Parkot said. Embryonic stem cell research has yet to cure any patients and has problems with patients' immune systems rejecting the cells. Pro-life groups favor adult stem cells, which have already produced dozens of treatments for various conditions.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: corzine; escr; newjersey; rutgers; stemcell; stemcellinstitute; stemcells; umdnj

1 posted on 04/20/2006 10:17:19 PM PDT by Coleus
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To: 2ndMostConservativeBrdMember; afraidfortherepublic; Alas; al_c; american colleen; annalex; ...


2 posted on 04/20/2006 10:17:37 PM PDT by Coleus (Happy Easter, Jesus Christ is Risen, Hallelujah!)
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To: Coleus
I have no problem with stem cell research, but I have plenty of problem with funding it in a state that has enough funding problems as it is.

Jon Corzine is such a pathetic clown. He proposes a sales tax increase, a water tax, new business taxes, and then cuts higher education funding by $150 million- all done allegedly to help fix budgetary problems- yet he increases spending by $2.6 billion and is now pushing for even more spending.

Something tells me that this bum is going to end up being worse than Jim Florio.

3 posted on 04/20/2006 10:23:15 PM PDT by SunnyD1182
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To: SunnyD1182

The recent Governor tracking polls by Survey USA show Corzine's approval ratings are approching Bush numbers.

36% for Corzine. 29% for Bush in NJ.


4 posted on 04/20/2006 10:26:28 PM PDT by Kuksool
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To: SunnyD1182

Some legislators oppose the bill because it would include funds to destroy human life in embryonic research and others oppose it because it would have the state borrowing $200 million in a time of fiscal crisis. >>>

there is no reason to do research on babies when there is enough stem cells that can come from non-embryonic sources: fat, umbilical cords, bone marrow, etc.

http://www.stemcellresearch.org


5 posted on 04/20/2006 10:28:11 PM PDT by Coleus (Happy Easter, Jesus Christ is Risen, Hallelujah!)
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To: Kuksool

The only reason Corzine's poll numbers are higher is because the libs in Joisey voted for him. They are too arrogant to admit they are fools. And GWB is Hitler...so there!


6 posted on 04/20/2006 11:24:23 PM PDT by gr8eman (Everybody is a rocket scientist...until launch day!)
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To: Coleus

If stem cell research offered any serious chance at all of finding cures for major medical problems then there wouldn't be any need to borrow $200 million to finance it -- especially in a state like New Jersey that is home to so many of the world's largest pharmaceutical firms.


7 posted on 04/21/2006 3:51:25 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (Can money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep?)
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