Dear Friend,

With the recent passing of former President Ronald Reagan, there has been an increased focus on the promise held by stem cell research as well as redoubled efforts to end the current ban on most federally funded embryonic stem cell research. Today I would like to update you on my work on this issue.

During the period leading up to the Reagan funeral, there were numerous accounts of how his family suffered during President Reagan's struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Their family is not alone in struggling to deal with the ravages of diseases that may be cured as a result of stem cell research. I have heard from literally thousands of people in my district who suffer every day as they or their loved ones struggle with conditions such as juvenile diabetes, spinal cord injury, ALS, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease-conditions that could all potentially be treated or cured with advances made through embryonic stem cell research.

During my tenure in Congress, I have been a strong supporter of scientific research. Through my position on the Budget Committee, I have offered measures that would increase much-needed research funding for the National Institutes of Health. In fact, over the last ten years, Congress has doubled the budget of the NIH in an effort to ensure that our nation's scientists and researchers are adequately supported as they seek to gather knowledge.

However, it makes no sense to me that our country then turns around and ties the hands of embryonic stem cell researchers by imposing arbitrary restrictions on these researchers and their funding. Recently, I wrote a column speaking to this challenge and the potential of stem cell research. Given the promise that embryonic stem cell research holds, we simply must aggressively explore the possibilities of stem cell research.

I was proud this week to join my colleagues in introducing the Stem Cell Research Act, H.R. 4682, which would expand federal funding to research conducted on excess embryonic stem cells donated by fertility clinics. In Congress, there is significant bipartisan support for stem cell research. In April, I joined over 200 of my colleagues in sending a letter to President Bush urging him to revisit his limitations on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. The Stem Cell Research Act builds upon this existing momentum to repeal the restrictions on federal research funding for embryonic stem cell research.

Stem cell research has wide bipartisan support, both in and out of government. It has the support of the American Medical Association, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the American Bar Association, and former first lady Nancy Reagan, among others. It is my sincere hope that the redoubling of efforts by this broad coalition will be successful in expanding federally funded stem cell research.

Warm regards,

Tammy Baldwin
Your Member of Congress