Etheridge Announces He Will Vote to Override Presidential Veto

News Release
Congressman Bob Etheridge
North Carolina

July 19, 2006

Contact: Joanne Peters
Phone: (202) 225-4531

Etheridge Announces He Will Vote to Override Presidential Veto

Etheridge Votes to Advance Medical Research

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) announced today that he will vote to override a Presidential Veto of H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. The Senate passed the bill Tuesday and the President has pledged to veto it, his first veto of his Presidency. Etheridge is a cosponsor of the legislation, which passed the House in May, 2005.

"I support funding for this research because of the bright promise it holds to make life better and more productive for generations to come. Without federal funding for this basic research we could condemn millions of human beings to the pain, misery and suffering of debilitating and degenerative diseases," said Etheridge.

"Many North Carolinians could benefit from this research, or know someone who could. Just this past weekend I learned of a friend with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Stem cell research provides the promise to make life better for people like him."

H.R. 810 directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultation with the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund stem cell research. Embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into virtually any cell in the body and may have the potential to treat medical conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and cancer.

"Our North Carolina values guide us to expand scientific and medical knowledge to enhance the health and well being of our families, neighbors and fellow citizens, and this research is key to that effort. This is the right thing to do," said Etheridge.

In August of 2000 the National Institute of Health published ethically sound guidelines governing federal funding of stem cell research. On August 9, 2002, the Bush Administration issued its own guidelines for embryonic stem cell research, which allow federal funds to be used for research on 64 already existing stem cell lines only. The bill would override the Administration's guidelines.

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