Obama Should Act To Overturn Stem Cell Restrictions By Executive Order

WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Michael Castle (R-DE),chief architects of legislation expanding stem cell research, led abipartisan group of legislators today in sending a letterto President-Elect Barack Obama urging him to immediately removeexisting federal barriers to embryonic stem cell research by ExecutiveOrder upon taking office. Reps. DeGette and Castle recently introduced new stem cell legislation overturningPresident Bush's Executive Order, updating previous legislation toensure that it is current with the ever-expanding field of stem cellresearch, and bringing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) backinto the forefront of stem cell research worldwide.

"I am excited that we are on the brink of expanding stem cell researchunder a responsible, pro-science Administration," said DeGette, ViceChair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. "After two vetoes ofstrong bipartisan legislation that would have overturned PresidentBush's restrictions, millions of patients and their families can nowfinally have hope again. I look forward to working with the ObamaAdministration to develop a robust research agenda in America."

"For the first time in many years the U.S. is poised to reaffirm itscommitment to funding a pro-science biomedical research agenda byremoving the current restrictions on embryonic stem cell research,which continues to hold so much promise," said Castle. "We have lostvaluable time and I look forward to working with President-Elect Obamaand Congressional leaders in 2009 to swiftly nullify the currentrestrictions and finally allow science to flourish."