Senator Santorum Comments on Senate Passage of the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005

Senator Santorum Comments on Senate Passage of the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005

U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today issued the following statement regarding Senate passage of H.R. 2520/S. 1317, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, which President Bush signed into law today.

"Late last week, the Senate passed this important bill by unanimous consent, which will result in thousands of additional patients receiving treatments for many diseases. I was pleased to be a cosponsor of this bill that provides for the collection and storage of human cord blood stem cells for the treatment of patients and research. This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the national bone marrow transplant program and set up a national, searchable database for cord blood and bone marrow units.

"I was proud to support this important bill which will increase the number of cord blood units that are collected and made available for transplants to patients who need them. A commitment to curing disease, promoting scientific progress and respect for life are not mutually exclusive, and cord blood stem cells are just one example of an ethical and viable means already being used to treat patients and cure disease. I am very pleased that this type of research and treatment for patients will receive additional federal support. I will continue to work with my Senate colleagues to support funding for other ethical and promising alternatives to embryonic stem cell research."

http://santorum.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressOffice.View&ContentRecord_id=1583&Region_id=0&Issue_id=0