Tina Smith: “I am very grateful the Senate is considering the issue of stem cell research today. This debate marks the culmination of…”

“I am very grateful the Senate is considering the issue of stem cell research today. This debate marks the culmination of years of work by many of my colleagues and certainly by myself and a host of dedicated advocates. I thank Senators Harkin and Specter for their leadership on this issue, as well as Senators Hatch, Feinstein, and Kennedy. Working together for almost a decade, the six of us have over the years laid the groundwork for the Senate to overwhelmingly approve Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. We did this last July but, as we all know, unfortunately, that bill was ultimately vetoed by the President. That is behind us now, and with a new Congress comes a new opportunity to revisit this important issue, the issue of embryonic stem cell research. I hope the experiences of the past have helped my colleagues to gain a fresh perspective on this issue. I know they certainly have for me. Some may view the vote we will take later today on S. 5 and S. 30 as a one-or-the-other option. In my opinion, that is simply shortsighted. I intend to vote for both measures. At the end of the day, they both accomplish the goal of advancing stem cell science in the hopes of finding cures for debilitating illnesses such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and diabetes, to name but a few.”