LB 462

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TALKING POINTS

LB 462—A second try at invoking cloture to stop the filibuster on this bill, which would prohibit the University of Nebraska Medical Center from using induced abortions as a source of fetal tissue for biomedical research, failed to garner enough support. Thirty-three votes are necessary to invoke cloture; 29 senators voted for the motion. Although the unsuccessful cloture vote does not officially kill the bill, the fact that cloture motions have now failed twice—the first occurred last year during the first session of this Legislature—is likely enough to keep LB 462 off any future agenda. The hard reality to swallow, of course, is that 29 votes are more than enough (25) to advance and ultimately pass the bill.

Voting to halt the filibuster and allow a vote on advancement of LB 462 were Senators Aguilar, Baker, Brashear, Bruning, Burling, Cudaback, Cunningham, Dierks, Engel, Erdman, Foley, Hartnett, Jensen, Jones, Kremer, Kristensen, Maxwell, McDonald, Pedersen, Preister, Quandahl, Redfield, Robak, Schrock, Smith, Stuhr, Synowiecki, Tyson, and Vrtiska.

Voting against the cloture motion were Senators Beutler, Bourne, Bromm, Brown, Byars, Chambers, Connealy, Coordsen, Hudkins, Janssen, Landis, Don Pederson, Price, Raikes, Schimek, Thompson, Wehrbein, and Wickersham. Senator Kruse was present, but did not vote. Senator Suttle was excused.

Although legislation will not pass this year, this issue of UNMC’s complicity with abortionists by no means needs to be conceded to those who ignore that complicity and want a utilitarian approach to continue. In fact, if attention on what’s happening diminishes, then embryonic stem cell research and the so-called "therapeutic cloning" are likely to gain a foothold. All along, administrators of both the Medical Center and the University of Nebraska System have pledged to search for sources of tissue other than induced abortions.

Now is the time to make them accountable on that pledge.

Here’s what you can do to help:

	Contact your state senator; if he/she voted for cloture on LB 462, express gratitude for that vote and urge him/her to make sure that UNMC follows through, and quickly so, on its pledge to find other sources of tissue.
	If your senator did not vote for cloture, respectfully express your disappointment and urge him/her to see to it that the pledge to secure other sources of tissue is aggressively pursued and fulfilled.

Write or E-Mail your Senators (firstinitial)(lastname)@unicam.ne.us like: cbeutler@unicam.ne.us About UNMC Use of Fetal Tissue from Induced Abortions/Sample Message

SAMPLE LETTER

Senator ____________________

Nebraska State Capitol

District ____

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, NE 68509-4604

Dear Senator __________________:

Thank you for your vote on LB 462. [ or: I am disappointed with your vote on LB 462.] Though the bill did not pass, it is still important to maintain our diligence in this matter. All along, administrators of both the Medical Center and the University of Nebraska System have pledged to search for sources of tissue other than from induced abortions. It is up to our elected lawmakers to do this. Hopefully, this promise was not made lightly nor was merely lip service in order to manipulate the Nebraska Legislature, its legislators and the people of Nebraska.

Yours truly,

______________________________