Chuck Schumer: “first, I rise in strong and profound praise of my colleague from Iowa. He has led this fight dauntlessly, always being…”

“first, I rise in strong and profound praise of my colleague from Iowa. He has led this fight dauntlessly, always being both dogged and smart. That is why we are where we are today. I rise in support of S. 5, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. Today, as we stand on the brink of scientific breakthroughs, we cannot let politics pull us backward. A modern nation loses its greatness, its preeminence, when it turns its back on science. That is what history has shown. Stem cell research is the key to hope for 100 million Americans and their families who suffer from debilitating diseases. Talk about it any way you want, spin it any way you want, talk about all these alternatives; the bottom line is very simple: A "no" vote is a vote against science, a vote against the millions who are anxiously awaiting a cure for diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries and other diseases and injuries. Unfortunately, we all know someone with a disease such as diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson's, ALS or cancer who could benefit from embryonic stem cell research. Every one of us has looked into the eyes of somebody who needs help--in my case, a young mother with a little girl about 5 years old who had juvenile diabetes who said: Senator, the doctors tell me the odds are high that my child could be blind at age 20 if we don't do embryonic stem cell research. How can we say no to that mother and to that child?”