2000
[DOCID: f:s1758is.txt]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1758
To prohibit human cloning while preserving important areas of medical
research, including stem cell research.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 3, 2001
Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Kennedy, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Miller, Mr.
Corzine, Mr. Durbin, and Mrs. Clinton) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit human cloning while preserving important areas of medical
research, including stem cell research.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Human Cloning Prohibition Act of
2001''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the National Bioethics Advisory Commission (referred to
in this Act as the ``NBAC'') has reviewed the scientific and
ethical implications of human cloning and has determined that
the cloning of human beings is morally unacceptable;
(2) the NBAC recommended that Federal legislation be
enacted to prohibit anyone from conducting or attempting human
cloning, whether using Federal or non-Federal funds;
(3) the NBAC also recommended that the United States
cooperate with other countries to enforce mutually supported
prohibitions on human cloning;
(4) the NBAC found that somatic cell nuclear transfer (also
known as nuclear transplantation) may have many important
applications in medical research;
(5) the Institute of Medicine has found that nuclear
transplantation may enable stem cells to be developed in a
manner that will permit such cells to be transplanted into a
patient without being rejected;
(6) the NBAC concluded that any regulatory or legislative
actions undertaken to prohibit human cloning should be
carefully written so as not to interfere with other important
areas of research, such as stem cell research; and
(7)(A) biomedical research and clinical facilities engage
in and affect interstate commerce;
(B) the services provided by clinical facilities move in
interstate commerce;
(C) patients travel regularly across State lines in order
to access clinical facilities; and
(D) biomedical research and clinical facilities engage
scientists, doctors, and other staff in an interstate market,
and contract for research and purchase medical and other
supplies in an interstate market.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
It is the purpose of this Act to prohibit any attempt to clone a
human being while protecting important areas of medical research,
including stem cell research.
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON HUMAN CLONING.
(a) In General.--Title 18, United States Code, is amended by
inserting after chapter 15, the following:
``CHAPTER 16--PROHIBITION ON HUMAN CLONING
``Sec.
``301. Prohibition on human cloning.
``Sec. 301. Prohibition on human cloning
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Human cloning.--The term `human cloning' means
asexual reproduction by implanting or attempting to implant the
product of nuclear transplantation into a uterus.
``(2) Human somatic cell.--The term `human somatic cell'
means a mature, diploid cell that is obtained or derived from a
living or deceased human being at any stage of development.
``(3) Nuclear transplantation.--The term `nuclear
transplantation' means transferring the nucleus of a human
somatic cell into an oocyte from which the nucleus or all
chromosomes have been or will be removed or rendered inert.
``(4) Nucleus.--The term `nucleus' means the cell structure
that houses the chromosomes, and thus the genes.
``(5) Oocyte.--The term `oocyte' means the female germ
cell, the egg.
``(b) Prohibitions on Human Cloning.--It shall be unlawful for any
person or other legal entity, public or private--
``(1) to conduct or attempt to conduct human cloning;
``(2) to ship the product of nuclear transplantation in
interstate or foreign commerce for the purpose of human cloning
in the United States or elsewhere; or
``(3) to use funds made available under any provision of
Federal law for an activity prohibited under paragraph (1) or
(2).
``(c) Protection of Medical Research.--Nothing in this section
shall be construed to restrict areas of biomedical and agricultural
research or practices not expressly prohibited in this section,
including research or practices that involve the use of--
``(1) nuclear transplantation to produce human stem cells;
``(2) techniques to create exact duplicates of molecules,
DNA, cells, and tissues;
``(3) mitochondrial, cytoplasmic or gene therapy; or
``(4) nuclear transplantation techniques to create nonhuman
animals.
``(d) Penalties.--
``(1) In general.--Whoever intentionally violates any
provision of subsection (b) shall be fined under this title and
imprisoned not more than 10 years.
``(2) Civil penalties.--Whoever intentionally violates
paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (b) shall be subject
to a civil penalty of $1,000,000 or three times the gross
pecuniary gain resulting from the violation, whichever is
greater.
``(3) Civil actions.--If a person is violating or about to
violate the provisions of subsection (b), the Attorney General
may commence a civil action in an appropriate Federal district
court to enjoin such violation.
``(4) Forfeiture.--Any property, real or personal, derived
from or used to commit a violation or attempted violation of
the provisions of subsection (b), or any property traceable to
such property, shall be subject to forfeiture to the United
States in accordance with the procedures set forth in chapter
46 of title 18, United States Code.
``(5) Advisory opinions.--The Attorney General shall, upon
request, render binding advisory opinions regarding the scope,
applicability, interpretation, and enforcement of this section
with regard to specific research projects or practices.
``(e) Cooperation With Foreign Countries.--It is the sense of
Congress that the President should cooperate with foreign countries to
enforce mutually supported restrictions on the activities prohibited
under subsection (b).
``(f) Right of Action.--Nothing in this section shall be construed
to give any individual or person a private right of action.
``(g) Preemption of State Law.--The provisions of this section
shall preempt any State or local law, that is inconsistent with this
section or section 498C of the Public Health Service Act, that
prohibits or restricts research regarding, or practices constituting,
nuclear transplantation or human cloning.''.
(b) Ethical Requirements for Nuclear Transplantation Research.--
Part H of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 289 et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 498C. ETHICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NUCLEAR TRANSPLANTATION RESEARCH.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Human somatic cell.--The term `human somatic cell'
means a mature, diploid cell that is obtained or derived from a
living or deceased human being at a
48e
ny stage of development.
``(2) Nuclear transplantation.--The term `nuclear
transplantation' means transferring the nucleus of a human
somatic cell into an oocyte from which the nucleus or all
chromosomes have been or will be removed or rendered inert.
``(3) Nucleus.--The term `nucleus' means the cell structure
that houses the chromosomes, and thus the genes.
``(4) Oocyte.--The term `oocyte' means the female germ
cell, the egg.
``(b) Applicability of Federal Ethical Standards to Nuclear
Transplantation Research.--Research involving nuclear transplantation
shall be conducted in accordance with the applicable provisions of part
46 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date
of enactment of the Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2001).
``(c) Civil Penalties.--Whoever intentionally violates subsection
(b) shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $250,000.
``(d) Enforcement.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall have the exclusive authority to enforce this section.''.
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