Herb Kohl: “I thank the Senator. I rise today in support of H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, which is a…”

“I thank the Senator. I rise today in support of H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, which is a bill that will expand the number of stem cell lines that are eligible for federally funded research ensuring that scientists at NIH and laboratories around the country have access to new, uncontaminated stem cell lines. America's best scientific minds have told us that harnessing the power of these cells could one day lead to a cure for a number of diseases that afflict families all across our country. Nearly every family in America has experienced the tragedy of watching a loved one suffer through a deadly or debilitating illness. Diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's take a terrible toll on families' lives and livelihoods. While we have made great strides in biomedical research in recent years, we still do not have all the keys to unlock the secrets of disease. Today the Senate has the opportunity to reach across partisan lines and touch the millions of individuals and families who suffer the ravages of diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. We are not researchers, but today we can give our best researchers the material they need to understand these diseases. We are not doctors, but today we can give our best doctors the weapons to fight back for their dying patients. And we are not patients--at least not yet--but today we can give patients hope for not just relief but a cure.…”