Update on Stem Cell Amendment

ChelseaAdult Stem Cell Research, Politics, Umbilical Cord BloodLeave a Comment

Well here’s a little thing I found on Life News that I didn’t see before. Apparently yesterday a house committee adopted the cord blood funding amendment that I told you about earlier today. Here is the short story:

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The House of Representatives adopted an amendment to a fiscal year 2008 budget bill that will promote adult stem cell research. It added an amendment to the Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill Tuesday night offered by pro-life Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, and Artur Davis, a pro-abortion Alabama Democrat. The amendment makes it so the federal government fully funds the National Cord Blood Inventory program at $15 million for the fiscal year after giving only partial funding in previous years. The program provides for banking of ethically non-controversial stem cells that are treating people today, unlike embryonic stem cell research. Rep. Dave Obey, a Wisconsin Democrat who heads the House Appropriations Committee, accepted the amendment without a roll call vote, so it will now be included in the bill. The Senate has not yet passed its version of this bill, however the Senate Appropriations Committee Report provides $12 million for cord blood. Pro-life advocates hope that the final enacted bill will fully fund this important program at the House-passed level.

It’s not on their main page, but some other page with short news clips that I found in a Google search – which is why I didn’t see it earlier. I’m happy to hear that our politicians gave some credit to adult stem cell research. Though after listening to the clerk read off some of the numbers in that appropriations bill the less money they could spend the better.

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