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Buehrer disappointed by Strickland's human cloning veto

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By MARC KOVAC

C-N Capital Bureau

COLUMBUS -- Gov. Ted Strickland signed a $1.57 billion job stimulus package Thursday evening, but not before his promised removal of an amendment concerning human cloning.

The governor used his line-item veto power to slash that language, added by Sen. Steve Buehrer, R-Delta, along with two other sections of the larger bill: the date for the transfer of money from the state's rainy-day fund and the name of a cooperative program.

Buehrer was understandably disappointed in the governor's decision.

"The cloning and destruction of human life is bad policy for Ohio and morally wrong," said Buehrer. "I am disappointed that the governor chose to veto this important amendment protecting life that was narrowly-tailored and would not have hindered the promising bio-medical research that could save lives and create good-paying Ohio jobs."

The job stimulus bill, a compromise package reached earlier this year between Republican lawmakers and Strickland, includes:

-- $100 million for logistics and distribution improvements (projects that will bolster businesses that move and distribute products).

-- $50 million for bio-products (aimed at industries that produce polymers, plastics and other materials out of Ohio crops) and $100 million for bio-medical (industries involved in medical innovation).

-- $150 million for advanced and renewable energy, including wind, solar and clean coal.

-- $400 million for public works projects (local infrastructure, including bridges, sewers and water systems and roads).

-- $120 million in historic preservation tax credits (revitalizing historically significant buildings).

-- $250 million for higher education work force programs (internships, co-ops and other initiatives aimed at keeping Ohio graduates in the state).

Additionally, voters will decide in November whether to issue another $400 million in bonds to continue the Clean Ohio fund, which was approved nearly a decade ago. The proceeds from that program are used for farmland and greenspace preservation and brownfield revitalization.

Strickland left most of the jobs package intact, but did exercise the line-item veto on three items, including the cloning amendment.

The language, added by Buehrer from the floor of the Senate, stated that "Money received by an entity pursuant to the Ohio biomedical development program shall not be used, directly or indirectly, to pay costs of, or otherwise support any activities involving human cloning."

It defined human cloning as "the creation of a human zygote, human blastocyst or human embryo by any means other than the fertilization of a human egg by a human sperm."

Keith Dailey, the governor's spokesman, said the language would have significantly limited potentially life-saving stem cell research and hampered bio-medical innovation, one of the fastest-growing technology businesses in the state.

"The governor agrees that a ban on human reproductive cloning is appropriate," Dailey said. "But this language goes far beyond that and would in fact limit stem cell research."

In a statement released by his office staff, Buehrer said , "I sponsored the amendment because, as we take steps to invest state funds in high-tech ventures, I felt it was important to assure the people of Ohio that their tax dollars are not going to fund the destruction of life."

He added, "I will continue my fight for a state ban on human cloning."

Strickland also line-item vetoed the date for the transfer of monies from the state's rainy day fund for public works projects, striking a July 1 reference. The move, Dailey said, means the transfer won't happen for about a year; in the meantime, the governor, who is concerned about the precedent that could be set in tapping into the state's reserves, plans to seek other funding to meet those needs.

"The governor is going to look for another source," Dailey said.

"It will require legislation, and ultimately he would make use of the rainy day fund if no better funding source is identified."

In his written veto message, Strickland noted, "This veto re-emphasizes stabilization of the (general revenue fund) operating budget as the proper first priority for utilization of Budget Stabilization Fund resources, rather than establishing a precedent of utilizing the Budget Stabilization Fund for new expenditures. The administration will seek to find an alternative source of funding to meet the statutory requirement for a cash transfer of these funds, which will require legislative approval. Therefore, this veto is in the public(s) interest."

The other line-item veto related to funding for a cooperative program. It was identified in the legislation as the Choose Ohio First program; that name, however, is already used in reference to another program, so the governor opted to remove it from the bill to avoid confusion, Dailey said.