RESOLUTION NO. 061006

Expressing the Councils support of the November 7, 2006 ballot issue, Missouris Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, and urging Kansas Citians to vote for the initiative.

WHEREAS, the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative will protect the right of Missouri patients to have their diseases and injuries treated with any stem cell cures allowed by federal law and available to other Americans; and

WHEREAS, early stem cells have the potential to turn into and regenerate any type of cell or tissue in the human body and could provide cures for more than 70 diseases and injuries not curable with adult stem cells, such as diabetes, Parkinsons, MS, cancer, heart disease, ALS, sickle cell disease and spinal cord injury; and

WHEREAS, the overwhelming majority of medical experts, medical organizations and patient advocacy groups such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Christopher Reeve Foundation, Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, and Parkinsons Action Network agree that all types of stem cell research should be pursued in the effort to find lifesaving cures; and

WHEREAS, the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative ensures that any stem cell research and cures currently allowed by federal and state law will continue to be allowed in Missouri; and

WHEREAS, the Initiative creates clear guidelines to protect the safety, rights and privacy of Missouri patients and the Initiative establishes ethical, safety and public accountability guidelines for early stem cell research conducted in Missouri; and

WHEREAS, the Initiative strictly bans and criminalizes human cloning; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the Mayor and Council urge the citizens of Missouri to vote YES on the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be spread among the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that a copy hereof be presented to Sandra Aust of the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures with wishes of much success on the campaign for the constitutional amendment.

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