News > Top Stories
ShareSenate Passes Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act
The U.S. Senate has passed S5, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which would lift the ban on federally funded stem cell research. The bill had been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year. “We are pleased to see that the Senate has passed this important legislation, but remain frustrated that President Bush has publicly stated that he will again veto the bill,” said Marcie Roth, chief executive officer of NSCIA.
The Act passed both Houses of Congress by wide margins in 2006, but was vetoed by President Bush. Now that the bill has passed through the U.S. Senate once again, it is anticipated that the House will take up the Senate version, leading again to the bill going to President, where a veto is anticipated. While sufficient to pass the bill, support in the Senate does not appear to be strong enough for a veto override. NSCIA affirmed its position in 2006 by joining members of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research as co-signers of a letter supporting passage of H.R. 810. If approved, the bill would “amend the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells , regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from a human embryo, provided such embryos: (1) have been donated from in vitro fertilization clinics; (2) were created for the purposes of fertility treatment; (3) were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment and would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded (as determined in consultation with the individuals seeking fertility treatment); and (4) were donated by such individuals with written informed consent and without any financial or other inducements” ..Since President Bush's original executive order restricting funding to specific stem cell lines, the 62 lines eligible for federal funding at that time have declined steadily to approximately 10 lines that can continue to be used for quality research. This legislation would provide federal funding and a resource for expanding access to stem cells to continue the vital research currently underway. The mission of The National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA) is to enable people with spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) to achieve their highest level of independence, health, and personal fulfillment by providing resources, services, and peer support. NSCIA actively advocates for best practices and public policies that proactively affect people with SCI/D, their families and service providers. We conduct public policy initiatives through our chapters and at the national level. The organization has developed and maintains close working relationships with key contacts at the White House, in Congress, and strategic federal agencies. We also actively collaborate with other national organizations on issues of mutual concern.