NCJW Hails Senate Passage of Stem Cell Bill

July 18, 2006, Washington, DC -- The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) today hailed passage by the Senate of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act and called upon President Bush to sign the act into law. NCJW President Phyllis Snyder released the following statement:

"NCJW hails passage of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which will allow federal tax dollars to support stem cell research using embryos from in-vitro fertilization that would otherwise be discarded. We applaud the strong bipartisan effort that led to passage of the bill in both the House and the Senate, and we urge the President to reconsider his opposition to this landmark legislation.

"The broad healing potential of embryonic stem cells could literally mean the difference between life and death for more than 128 million Americans suffering from Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, spinal cord injuries, strokes, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. This medical promise must be realized. And a commitment from the federal government would give a tremendous boost to that effort.

"We call on President Bush to prioritize public interest over his personal religious beliefs. It is not too late for the President to heed the wisdom and wishes of the bipartisan majority of the House and Senate, mainstream America, and the world scientific community by signing this act into law."

 

NCJW is a volunteer organization, inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families and to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through its network of 90,000 members, supporters, and volunteers nationwide.

Contact:
Vanessa Schnaidt
212 645 4048 x179; vschnaidt@ncjw.org