04.11.07

Cantwell Renews Push for Stem Cell Research

Senate considering legislation this week to remove restrictions; stem cell research could help as many as one in ten Washingtonians

WASHINGTON, DC - Wednesday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced her vote in favor of removing restrictions and opening the door to federal support of stem cell research. Stem cell legislation under consideration this week takes the commonsense steps needed to encourage federal support of groundbreaking embryonic stem cell research, which holds the greatest promise for Americans living with ailments like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and spinal cord injuries. Cantwell also committed to working with Senators and Representatives from both parties to build the coalition needed to make this life-saving legislation law.

"For the one in ten Washingtonians who could benefit from stem cell research, it's long past time for us to remove roadblocks to this life-saving research," said Cantwell. "The federal government should not stand in the way of a cure for these ailments or in the way of hope for the millions who suffer from them. The president should think very carefully before another veto of this bill."

The Senate is considering broad legislation this week to expand the number of stem cell lines eligible for federally funded research. Current restrictions on federally funded stem cell research are so limited that nearly all research options under these restrictions have been exhausted, leaving many researchers unable to investigate promising new treatments with the potential to produce groundbreaking cures. The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, introduced in January and cosponsored by Cantwell, lifts current restrictions on stem cell lines derived after August 9, 2001, allowing federal funds to be used to study and examine them. It does not allow federal funds to be used to derive the lines. The legislation also imposes ethical rules that are tighter than under current law. It specifies that federally funded research can only involve embryos that are donated to in vitro fertilization clinics but would normally be discarded because they are in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking treatment. Furthermore, the individuals who donate the embryos must give written, informed consent before the embryos can be used for stem cell research. The legislation also provides for research into alternative methods of deriving stem cells, including adult stem cell research.

Congress passed similar legislation in July 2006 with Cantwell's support, but failed narrowly to overturn a veto by President Bush. After Senate passage of last year's bill, Cantwell joined 40 other senators in calling on then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) to urge the president to reconsider his opposition to the measure. She also worked with colleagues from both parties in attempting to override the veto, which she said denied hope to millions of Americans. In August 2006, Cantwell visited Seattle's Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center to highlight the potential of stem cell research in developing new, more effective treatments.

Approximately 35,000 Washingtonians currently live with Parkinson's, 300,000 have been diagnosed with diabetes while another 127,000 have undiagnosed diabetes, 160,000 have suffered from heart failure, 5,000 live with spinal cord injuries, and one in ten will be affected by some form of liver disease in their lifetime. Stem cell research holds promise for those living with each of these ailments.

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