From the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research:
December 21, 2006
Dear CAMR Members:
First, let me wish you and your family a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year. Now is the time to look back on the incredible progress that has been made and ready ourselves for important stem cell work in 2007. We all will need to roll up our sleeves in January and get right to work because we have a lot to accomplish in a very short timeframe next year.
In January, the 110th Congress will be sworn into office. The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (what we knew as HR 810 for the past two years) will be reintroduced by our Congressional champions in January with identical language and a new bill number. Getting this bipartisan bill passed and enacted has been identified as a top priority by the new leadership in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. A vote on the bill is expected in both chambers in January. That means we need to reach out to everyone we can as soon as possible.
Now is the time for you to use your local contacts and reach out to your new Representatives and Senators before they are even sworn in. Before they come to Washington, DC they need to know that you expect them to vote in favor of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. You will need to be creative, as these new Members might be difficult to locate before January. Perhaps they will be attending local events in your community or opening up a district office. Use every resource you can think of to track them down. You should also use this time to contact returning Representatives and Senators who may have voted no in the past to convince them now is the time to vote in favor of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
The message for all Members of Congress is this: "Now is the time to pass and enact meaningful stem cell legislation! The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act will be one of the first bills presented to you for a vote in the 110th Congress and I urge you to vote yes."
You will hear from us as soon as the bill is reintroduced and we will be asking for a huge push in early January to get the word out on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act before the votes.
Thank you, CAMR
18 comments:
keep us up to date, 'doc.
you can't stop an idea whose time has come....
KEvron
Will do, bub.
I think we just may get it this time....
HY Doc:
I'm hoping that we can cover the New Stem Cell Bill with CHANGE.
Happy almost New Year.
Bun Bun.
Hy Doc:
I found your chosen profession in the Constitution. Under the responsibilities of Congress Provision. Sadly it comes after the establishment of a Post Office but it still looks pretty cool.
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
Although we know it's really about Patents and Copyrights it looked pretty cool there for a minute.
T2
I'll take it, Titu!
Interesting ... Farmer Outhouse's John has to (R)evert to fictional characters to make a comment upon science ...
As Farmer John pops up outta his outhouse hole on various blogs, it is reassuring to see that these non-thinking 'drones' have had their day.
As their power withers they are only left with smear ... while the rest of us are left with the Katrinas and Baghdads as product of such minds
In America, the year 2006 creeps out in disgrace ... trailing the embarrassment and shame of all sentient beings ... as hope enters for 2007 ...
Oh yah ... and from a home with indoor plumbing, Happy New Year Doc.
The world is indeed a better place, graced by your presence ...
Best Wishes,
from a Doug-in Snerd
Ouch:
I just stuck myself with a Gom Jabber.
Nevermind, I appear to be okay.
Hey Dune.can I get a glass of water please?
Hoppy New Year.
Where's the beef? :D
"Madcow ...? Ahhh ... Humour from 'the John'
Without trying to 'milk' the pun too much, I agree with Doc ... if I 'herd' her right, that is.
Snerd
Huh?
How does this relate to the new stem cell bill?
How will we ever know if we don't try?
from-the-John: Heck, the researchers don't even know what prions do
They pri on you without warrents ... and you're just supposed to forget all about them ...
Snerd
from-the-John: All cows are already engineered to be Madcow free
SG: Yup! ... Even the once with Alzheimer's
Snerd
FJ, I think you misunderstand, as evidenced by your misquotation attributed to me. I support responsible stem cell research. All academic studies that involve human tissue undergo rigorous review (for merit, safety, potential benefit) before they are allowed to begin. We have to fill out 15 page forms for each study and adhere to strict rules. We really aren't "mad scientists", for goodness sakes.
I never said "let's just do it and see what happens". My point is that if you prevent responsible experiments from being done, you will never know what advancements could have been made.
Aye Doc: if you prevent responsible experiments from being done, you will never know what advancements could have been made.
from-near-the-John: Exactly!
By limiting potential advancements you deal 'Evolution' a severe blow, by removing the possibility of 'positive progress'.
Snerd
FJ--What article? I don't have any article posted here. I'm talking about the topic of my post. Forgive me if I am leery about clicking on any of your links.
How do you figure that irresponsibility takes over with more stem cell lines being available?
You want private industry to take over stem cell research? That will ensure that any new results are kept proprietary and confidential. The information won't be made public until the company can patent it and clear a profit. In contrast, academic research is published freely, long before any proprietary research would be publicized. Any new cell lines in academia would be shared freely. That way, other academic labs can use the information and new cell lines to make more progress.
If you want to limit research to those pre-2001 stem cell lines approved by Bush, you're making a big mistake. There are only a handful of those lines and they are contaminated with mouse feeder cells. The old cell lines are woefully out of date. They cannot be used for treatments in humans.
New technology allows us to establish new cell lines without mouse feeder cells.
If the stem cell bill passes, it will not take away the 15 page forms that we have to complete for experiments that involve human tissue. All safeguards will be in place.
I can't see the urls of your links to know whether they're yahoo or not. I tend to be cautious about clicking on links only shown by keywords.
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