The House of Representatives Tuesday voted 265-162 to approve a controversial bill that would ban therapeutic and reproductive cloning.

The legislation (HR2505), authored by Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.), provides a comprehensive ban on all human cloning and makes violations punishable by fine or up to 10 years in prison, or both. Last week in an 18-to-11 vote, the House Judiciary Committee approved Weldon’s legislation. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) has introduced similar legislation (S790) in the Senate. (See BioWorld Today, July 31, 2001.)

President Bush, who still hasn’t decided whether federal dollars should pay for stem cell research, released a statement Monday evening saying the administration supports a ban on the cloning of human beings by somatic cell nuclear transfer.

Carl Feldbaum, president of BIO, said, “Today's vote against the use of cloning technology for therapeutic research is a step backwards, and if eventually enacted into law, will reverse progress toward new medical treatments.”

“We now call upon the Senate to reflect more carefully on the potential medical benefits of this technology,” he said.

Alternative legislation (HR2608) introduced by Reps. James Greenwood (R-Pa.) and Peter Deutsch (R-Fla.) was defeated 249-178. Their legislation prohibits reproductive cloning, but allows it for research purposes.

Kim Coghill