Stem Cells

ENATE VOTE ON H.R. 810 IN JULY 2006

In May 2006, 40 Democratic senators sent a letter to Senator Frist calling on him to bring stem cell legislation stalled in the Senate to vote. H.R. 810 was first introduced in the Senate in May 2005, and had been since languishing.

Relenting to pressure, Frist allowed a Senate vote on H.R.810. On July 18, 2006, the Senate resoundingly passed the Stem Cell Enhancement Act of 2005 by a bipartisan vote of 63 to 37.

PRESIDENT VETOES EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH

President Bush has long opposed embryonic stem cell research on ideological grounds. True to his word, George Bush exercised his first presidential veto on July 19, 2006 when he refused to allow H.R. 810 to become US law.

Since the House of was unable to muster a 60% vote to override the presidential veto, H.R.810 died. For embryonic stem cell research to become federal law, new legislation will need to be introduced, passed by Congress. The earliest this could now occur would be by the next Congress in 2007-2008.

US PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH

All polls report that the American public overwhelmingly supports federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

Despite public perceptions, embryonic stem cell research is legal in the US. In 2001, the President banned the use of federal funds for research. He did not ban private and state research funding. In fact, large US pharmaceutical corporations are now conducting such research. (These industries are heavy Republican Party donors.)

In Fall 2004 , California voters approved a $3 billion bond to fund embryonic stem cell research. New Jersey, Wisconsin and Massachusetts legislators are considering similar measures.

In contrast, embryonic stem cell research is prohibited in Arkansas, Iowa, North and South Dakota and Michigan.