Sam Brownback: “I rise to speak on the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, which would establish a national cord blood stem…”

“I rise to speak on the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, which would establish a national cord blood stem cell bank. This legislation was agreed to last night during wrap-up under unanimous consent. I would like to congratulate the majority leader and all parties involved in yesterday's achievement, which resulted in passage of the cord blood bill. As you will recall, it was just 2 days ago that the other side, through the junior Senator from Iowa, reaffirmed their objections to consideration of this important legislation. Their objections, it seems, were not substantive as this legislation has been championed by Members from both sides of the aisle and as further evidenced by the lifting of objections and the cord blood bill passing without any opposition. Passage without any opposition in the Senate is truly rare. Rather, the other side's objections were tied to their support for additional funding of highly controversial destructive human embryonic stem cell research, which despite sufficient funding and years of research has yet to cure--or even treat--one human patient yet. Clearly, the other side wants a vote on their embryonic stem cell legislation, which requires the destruction of young human lives. On the other hand, I and many of my colleagues would also like for us to have an up-or-down vote on the Human Cloning Prohibition Act or the Human Chimera Prohibition Act, but we have been denied this by the other side.…”