DeGette Responds To The State Of The Union

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Committee Vice Chair DianaDeGette (D-CO), chief architect of the Stem Cell Research EnhancementAct, today offered the following response to President George W. Bush'sState of the Union address:

"I am glad that President Bush hasrecognized the recent advances in stem cell research. This againhighlights the need for a new, national initiative supporting all typesof ethical cell based research, including embryonic stem cell research.We must establish a robust national stem cell research program with astrict ethical framework.

"I find it cynical that thePresident would call on Congress to ban reproductive cloning when itwas his Republican colleagues that defeated my bill last year that didjust that."