Congressman Brady Opposes Expanding Taxpayer Funding of Controversial Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Congressman Brady Opposes Expanding Taxpayer Funding of Controversial Embryonic Stem Cell Research

U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-The Woodlands) issued the following statement opposing expanding federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

Congressman Brady, a champion of medical research who last year helped create the Texas Institute of Genomic Medicine (TIGM) to accelerate the breakthrough of lifesaving medicines, today voted against H.R. 3, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, that would expand such funding.

"As Americans, we all want medical breakthroughs, but we want them achieved ethically. Human embryos are human life not to be experimented upon and destroyed," said Brady.

"I am a strong supporter of medical research including non-embryonic stem cell research. The good news is that there are more proven, ethical means of research that offer hope and treatment sooner to our loved ones than this controversial one. And new ones are being discovered each day."

This past Monday researchers at Harvard University and Wake Forest University announced they discovered stem cells in amniotic fluid donated by pregnant women - without harm to the mother or the unborn child. Other types of research with as much potential as embryonic stem cells include adult stem cells, umbilical cord blood and genomic breakthroughs from advanced animal research.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tx08_brady/StemCell.html