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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Lois Capps issued the following statement regarding the President’s veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, S. 5, legislation to support life saving embryonic stem cell research.
“It is unfortunate that the President has once again denied the hopes of millions of Americans whose lives could benefit from embryonic stem cell research by vetoing this important legislation. For the second time in less than a year the President has chosen to reject the will of the vast majority of Americans and ignore the clear scientific consensus in support of this life-saving research. His executive order fails to adequately advance stem cell research, being more of a political gesture than anything else. The Democratic-led Congress will not give up its fight to expand embryonic stem cell research. I hope that my colleagues will join me in voting to override the President’s veto and will support future efforts to provide federal support for this critical research.”
The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act would have expanded the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research by lifting the restrictions on the embryonic stem cell lines that can be used for federally-funded research – restrictions that were imposed by President Bush in 2001. Most of the stem cell lines authorized for federally-funded research under the President’s policy are no longer useful for research. The bill would have created an ethical framework that must be followed in conducting this research under the guidance of the National Institutes of Health and only authorizes federal research funds for stem cell lines generated from embryos that would otherwise be discarded by fertility clinics.
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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.
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