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Rep. Capps Denounces President's Stem Cell Research Veto
Hindustan Times
19 July 2006
WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif. (23rd CD), issued the following press release:
Today Rep. Lois Capps took to the House floor to speak out against President Bush's veto of H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. Capps called on her colleagues to support the promising research of embryonic stem cells and vote to override the President's veto.
"The President's actions today are very disappointing," said Capps. "Using the first veto of his Presidency to block scientific progress not only jeopardizes potentially life-saving research, it also is another action showing that ideology has trumped sound science in this Administration. I urge my colleagues to reject the President's actions by voting to override this misguided veto and support the promise of stem cell research."
A Copy of the Congresswoman's Floor Speech follows:
Statement of Rep. Lois Capps Veto Override of HR 810. The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act July 19, 2006
Mr. Speaker I rise in support of this bill to override the President's veto of HR 810.
It is really unfortunate that this veto and other opposition to the bill are borne out of misinformation about the issue at hand.
Under HR 810, the embryos from which stem cells are extracted for research come from In Vitro Fertilization only.
Each year thousands of embryos, no bigger than the head of a pin, are created in the process of In Vitro Fertilization.
A small percentage of these embryos are implanted and hopefully will grow into our children.
The rest will be frozen or discarded.
They will not be used to create life.
They will never become children.
They will be lost without purpose.
But HR 810 gives them purpose.
And the majority of Members in both the House and Senate affirmed their support for enhancing our use of stem cells in research because they understand that purpose.
Maybe it really isn't that surprising that President Bush has vetoed this bill because he doesn't understand.
And it is consistent with his signing into law other bills that cut funding for medical research, deny proper funding for veterans' health care and decrease our nation's ability to confront true health crises.
This Administration has ignored and twisted science in a variety of areas - everything from global warming to abstinence education.
The refusal to acknowledge the scientific value of embryonic stem cell research is one more tragic misstep.
Let's not be the embarrassment of the world yet again.
Let's affirm our commitment to saving lives by overriding this veto.
Let's untie the hands of scientists on the verge of cures for the world's most devastating diseases.
I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
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