Queens, NY—The United Spinal Association applauds Congress’ speedy action in the introduction of The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007. The legislation, introduced in the House as H.R. 3 and in the Senate as S. 5, would open up more embryonic stem cell lines for federally funded research.
“We are very pleased that incoming Congressional leaders have pledged to make stem cell research funding a top priority,” said United Spinal Executive Director Paul J. Tobin. “Millions of individuals with catastrophic illnesses and injuries have been denied potentially life-saving research because the President’s veto of an identical measure last year. We are hopeful that these bills will quickly move through the House and the Senate and that the President will yield to the voice of a majority of Americans who support this research.”
An identical measure, H.R. 810, was approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate last year. However, President Bush vetoed the measure and the House of Representatives failed to gain enough votes to override the veto. Two-thirds majorities are needed in both chambers to overturn a presidential veto.
However, the recent mid-term elections resulted in the Democrats taking control of the Congress, with the addition of 42 Democrats in the House and eight Democrats in the Senate.
“Americans with spinal cord injuries and disorders, as well as those suffering from Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and other devastating illnesses, deserve to know that the federal government is supporting research with the greatest potential to improve their lives,” said Alaine Perry, United Spinal Association’s Director of Public Policy. “United Spinal has seriously considered the ethical concerns that have been raised regarding embryonic stem cell research and strongly believes that the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act includes strict standards that sufficiently address those concerns.”
The bill states that the stem cells must be “derived from human embryos that have been donated from in vitro fertilization clinics, were created for the purposes of fertility treatment, and were in excess of the clinical need of the individuals seeking such treatment.” Further, the bill requires that the embryos used “would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded.”
United Spinal Association is a national organization representing individuals with spinal cord injuries and disorders such as multiple sclerosis, ALS, and spina bifida. United Spinal helped create the Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research at Yale University in 1988 and has contributed millions of dollars to finding a cure for spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. United Spinal also provides significant annual funding to the Spinal Cord Damage Research Center at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, where investigators study the impact of a spinal cord injury on other critical body systems. For more information, please call 800-404-2898.
