There are a lot of activists -- many of whom I count as friends -- who have been waiting for this day for a long, long time. After eight years of a failed science policy generally, and an inhumane policy on stem cell research specifically, President Obama has lifted the ban on this important research funding.
Read the Washington Post account here.
President Obama today lifted restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and called on Congress to provide further support for what he called a "promising" line of scientific inquiry under "strict guidelines," including a ban on human cloning.
After signing an executive order lifting the funding restrictions imposed in 2001 by President George W. Bush, Obama also issued a presidential memorandum aimed at insulating scientific decisions across the federal government from political influence, ensuring that scientific advisers are appointed because of "their credentials and experience, not their politics or ideology."
Read the New York Times account here. But Mr. Obama went on to say that the majority of Americans “have come to a consensus that we should pursue this research; that the potential it offers is great, and with proper guidelines and strict oversight the perils can be avoided.” In making his announcement, Mr. Obama drew a strict line against human cloning, an issue that over the years has become entangled with the debate over human embryonic stem cell research.
"Promoting science isn't just about providing resources, it is also about protecting free and open inquiry," Obama said. "It is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it's inconvenient especially when it's inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology."
Read the White House blog entry here, and the press announcement here.
Of course, once again, Republicans step on their own message. From the New York Times:
One Republican lawmaker, Representative Christopher Smith of New Jersey, called Mr. Obama “the abortion president,” and planned an event to protest the new stem-cell policy later on Monday. The event was to include some so-called snowflake children, born after a couple that underwent in-vitro fertilization released leftover embryos for use by other couples.
Mr. Smith said Sunday that he did not think lawmakers would go along with overturning the embryo-experiment ban.
Problem is, Representative Eric Cantor from Virginia is calling it a "distraction." Well, which is it, boys? Worthy of protest, or a mere distraction?
I'm proud of my old friends and co-workers at the Parkinson's Action Network, and all of the other advocates and leaders who worked so hard to make sure this happened.
This really is change we can believe in, gang.
what does this mean for incomplete spinal cord injury's and im sure complete spinal cord injuryies are just as heartfelt breathetaking hopeful with talk in the air. although unsure if whats already been done somewhere secret, will we be abled to hold our heads high and join whats left of a world that seems so far left behind for alot of us, mine is 10 years in September, i have a son and he is a clone, lol. i want to be able to do 1/2 what i used to with him, huh/ does any 1 know what this means for me and many others like me? reguardless of how spinal injury happens, mine was sober, freak think, that split second and my youth flew out of a truck before i slide away it caught me rolled ontop and crushed my chest. these life saving cures can only come from a higher power and he instills the knowledge into people thatn are eager to make a difference in others lifes that have been so effected by tragedy...
Posted by: Jeremy | March 09, 2009 at 09:13 PM