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White House Representative To Meet With House Members on Expanded Federal Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research
(Kaisernetwork www.kaisernetwork.org) The Bush administration has promised that an administration official this week will meet with members of the House of Representatives who support relaxing President Bush's policy on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, the Washington Post reports (Weiss, Washington Post, 5/9).
Supporters of embryonic stem cell research say it could lead to treatments or cures for diseases such as cancer, juvenile diabetes and Alzheimer's, while opponents say the research is immoral because it requires the destruction of human embryos. A bipartisan group of 206 House members at the end of last month sent a letter to Bush asking him to loosen his restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Bush's policy -- which he announced on Aug. 9, 2001 -- limits federally funded embryonic stem cell research to stem cell lines created on or before that date (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 5/6).
Reps. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Michael Castle (R-Del.) and others in charge of circulating the House letter are scheduled to meet on Capitol Hill with Kristin Lee Silverberg, who serves as special assistant to Bush on stem cells. The meeting is the first face-to-face meeting between legislators and the Bush administration on the issue of stem cell research in more than two years, according to several observers, the Post reports. However, Bush administration spokesperson Trent Duffy said that the meeting does not suggest the administration "is reconsidering its stance" on the issue, the Post reports. Duffy also said that the House members can expect to receive a response to their letter soon, according to the Post.
Bipartisan Pressure
The scheduled meeting comes as "pressure is growing on several fronts to allow federal funding of research on embryos slated for disposal at fertility clinics," the Post reports. "People on both sides of the aisle are realizing that [Bush's] policy is not working," DeGette said. She added that there is a "solid majority" in the House that would legislate a change if the Bush administration does not alter its stem cell policy. In addition, the Senate is currently circulating a letter similar to the House letter, and Nancy Reagan -- wife of former President Reagan, who has Alzheimer's -- on Saturday at a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation fundraiser for stem cell research publicly spoke in favor of embryonic stem cell research for the first time (Washington Post, 5/9).
Fundraiser Details
Reagan at the fundraiser in Beverly Hills, Calif., made an "impassioned call" for expanding embryonic stem cell research and "lent a powerful conservative Republican voice" to the debate, Reuters reports (Reuters, 5/9).
Reagan said that Alzheimer's has taken her husband "to a distant place where I can no longer reach him," adding, "Because of this I'm determined to do whatever I can to save other families from this pain" (Associated Press, 5/9).
Reagan continued, "Science has presented us with a hope called stem cell research, which may provide our scientists with many answers that for so long have been beyond our grasp. ... We have lost so much time already. I just really can't bear to lose any more." Actors Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart read letters of support written by former Presidents Clinton, Carter and Ford for Reagan's efforts on stem cell research (Reuters, 5/9).
Actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's, said, "For someone like Mrs. Reagan to step outside of political or ideological groupings and just speak to what she believes ... can help people is tremendously valuable" (Washington Post, 5/10).
Also at the fundraiser, JDRF President Peter Van Etten announced that the organization is creating a Stem Cell Development Fund with the goal of raising $20 million for stem cell research (JDRF release, 5/8).
The $500-per-plate event was expected to raise about $2 million, according to the Los Angeles Times (Chavez, Los Angeles Times, 5/9).
Source: Kaisernetwork
Publish Date: May 10, 2004
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