The Denver Post reported today that U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) wants to move forward quickly with legislation to allow federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research. DeGette hopes to have some resolution by the time Congress recesses on October 8 before the upcoming elections:
"The fact that people are running against these hard-right Tea Party
candidates really will help them because the vast majority of Americans are for stem-cell research," said DeGette, a longtime champion of the research who has seen legislation she's written on the issue pass twice only to be vetoed by then-President George W. Bush.
The Senate is moving forward as well; as reported by the Los Angeles Times, Arlen Specter (D-PA) spoke in support of similar legislation on Monday:
...in his statement, Specter emphasizes that Congress did not intend for the Dickey-Wicker amendment to preclude funding for human embryonic stem-cell research. Everyone agrees that the law prevents the federal government from paying scientists to create the stem cells. But once created, the cells themselves are supposed to be eligible for NIH funding, Specter says.
Previously: Third time's the charm for stem cell legislation?
