Washington D.C., Jul 12, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Cardinal William Keeler has urged the United States Senate to reject a bill supporting embryonic stem-cell research and pass other legislation that supports umbilical cord blood stem-cell research and treatments.
The two bills may be considered on the Senate floor as early as this week.
The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 (H.R. 810/S. 471), sponsored by Senators Arlen Specter and Tom Harkin, supports embryonic stem-cell research.
The bill favoring umbilical cord blood stem-cell research is the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 (S. 1317), and it is sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch. The House version of this bill (H.R. 2520), introduced by Rep. Chris Smith, was approved May 24 by a vote of 431 to 1.