National "DNA Warehouse" bill passes - President called upon to veto

This just issued from the Citizens' Council on Health Care --

Yesterday, in a voice vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to authorize the creation of a national DNA warehouse and broad-scale genetic research on the American public. S.1858, passed by the U.S. Senate last December, has been sent to the President for signing. According to Twila Brase, president of CCHC:

"We are asking President Bush to veto this unethical, immoral, and unconstitutional bill. Congress has voted to strip citizens of genetic privacy rights and DNA property rights. The bill also violates research ethics and the Nuremberg Code.

"Soon, under this bill, the DNA of all citizens will be housed in government genomic biobanks and considered government property for government research. The DNA taken at birth from every citizen is essentially owned by the government, and every citizen becomes a potential subject of government-sponsored genetic research...

Rest of media release here.

To contact President Bush:

Comments: 202-456-1111

Switchboard: 202-456-1414

FAX: 202-456-2461

EMAIL: comments@whitehouse.gov