Bi-Partisan Coaltion, National Health Advocates Push for Senate Action on Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill

BI-PARTISAN COALITION, NATIONAL HEALTH ADVOCATES PUSH FOR SENATE ACTION ON EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH BILL

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

One-year after the House of Representatives passed important legislation to expand promising medical research, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a growing group of Democrats and Republicans who are saying it's time for the Senate to follow suit.

"Hope is a powerful medicine for millions of Americans living with Parkinson's, diabetes, cancer and other diseases. Through embryonic stem cell research, the hope for a cure may one day become a medical reality," Durbin said. "America's medical community is prepared to meet that challenge and to fulfill the great promise of embryonic stem cell research, but the Senate must first join the House in passing H.R. 810."

The House passed H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, on May 24, 2005. The legislation will expand the number of embryonic stem cell lines eligible for federal research funding through the National Institutes of Health. The bill removes restrictions on federal funding to develop stem cell lines for research from frozen, unused embryos produced through the In Vitro Fertilization process and impose strict ethical controls on the research. The bill passed the House 238-194, with 50 Republicans supporting the measure.

Durbin said that patients, including Police Officer Matt Langenhorst who grew up in Germantown, Illinois, and their families have been waiting for years for this promising research. Officer Langenhorst, who was injured in a car accident in 2001, is paralyzed from the neck down and must use a wheelchair. Officer Langenhorst's family has visited Durbin in Washington to urge his support for expanded research, including embryonic stem cell research, to help find a cure for spinal cord injuries.

Durbin noted that embryonic stem cell research has the potential to offer lifesaving treatment to more than 100 million Americans who are suffering from deadly and disabling diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury.

"As Democrats and Republicans we have put our political differences aside and support embryonic stem cell research," Durbin said. "Stem cell research is about sound science, strong ethical guidelines, and saving the lives of millions of Americans. We must pass this legislation as quickly as possible and the President Bush must drop his veto threat and acknowledge scientific reality."

http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=256031&&