From its beginning 20 years ago, Concerned Women for America (CWA) has had one president: Beverly LaHaye. Until now. LaHaye, the co-host of the daily nationally syndicated radio program, “Beverly LaHaye Live,” was succeeded by the show’s other co-host, Carmen Pate, former vice president, in early February. LaHaye will continue the show and will remain as the board’s chairwoman.
“The change has evolved from my continued concern for America’s future, to ensure that Concerned Women for America’s voice is heard well into the next century,” she said at a private reception.
Ban on cloning suffers setback An attempt to ban human cloning in the U.S. suffered a serious setback Feb. 11 when the Republican leadership of the U.S. Senate was able to muster only 42 of the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster by Democrats. A dozen Republicans and all Senate Democrats voted against considering the bill, making it unlikely that a ban will be passed soon.
Opponents of a ban on human cloning say that it could slow important medical research. But backers of a ban note that human embryo research will still be permitted under the ban; only somatic cell nuclear transfer, the technique used to clone the sheep Dolly in Scotland last year, would be forbidden.
A somatic cell is one that develops into an organ or tissue – not an egg cell. In cloning, the nucleus of a somatic cell is transferred into an egg cell from which the original nucleus has been removed.
Democrats are pushing an alternative bill, backed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), who advocates a ban on human cloning, said society is poised on the brink of a “slippery slope that would lead to the creation of masses of cloned human embryos like assembly-like products.”
– E.P. News
