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More stem cell news - today's is not so good. I realize of course the circumstances are very different now, but wasn't this exactly what happened in Congress a year ago? The whole issue of funding embryonic stem cell research was dropped then also because debate would hold up passage of the appropriations bills and Senator Specter was promised that his bill for full federal funding of ESCR would be brought up "early in 2001?" I think however that at least the limited funding per Pres. Bush's guidelines could proceed in 2002 - or at least funding for it could be appropriated within the NIH budget -- is this correct? Be aware though- - "appropriated" does not mean funding will be "authorized" (allowed to be spent) - another lesson learned about federal funding of medicaal research. Linda FROM: The Associated Press State & Local Wire November 1, 2001, Thursday, BC cycle SECTION: State and Regional HEADLINE: Stem cell proposal dropped in Senate amid threat of lengthy debate BYLINE: By JANELLE CARTER, Associated Press Writer DATELINE: WASHINGTON A measure to allow an expansion of stem cell research beyond what President Bush has authorized was dropped Thursday in the Senate after abortion opponents threatened a lengthy debate. The issue could have embroiled the Senate in intense debate over the meaning of life at a time when lawmakers are hurrying to complete must-pass spending bills. The stem cell provision had been attached to a much-needed $123.1 billion measure funding federal education, labor and health programs for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. Senators were debating the overall bill Thursday. If lawmakers got into the stem cell discussion, "I don't know how long it will take to debate," Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said. Specter angered abortion foes when he included language in a labor and health spending bill that would have changed Bush's new policy on stem cell research to allow couples to donate unused embryos from fertility clinics. Abortion critics long have worried that embryos are destroyed for stem cell research. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan. and an ardent abortion foe, threatened to delay the bill by offering several amendments, including one on banning human cloning. "Let's get on with this business," Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., implored colleagues. "We have a bill here that we ought to move." The government continues to operate on a temporary spending measure while lawmakers complete appropriations bills. Specter and Brownback said they had reached an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., to withdraw their issues until the Senate had time to hold extensive debate, probably early next year. The White House had recommended a veto if the stem cell language remained in the bill. Bush in August issued a long-awaited policy that restricts stem cell research to the 64 stem cell lines administration officials said already exist. The Specter language, inserted by the Democratic-controlled Senate Appropriations Committee, would have allowed stem cell research using embryos that would otherwise be destroyed, if permission were granted by the people whose fertility treatments created the embryos. Bush had hoped to stay out of the embryo debate, offering a middle-of-the-road solution to an issue that had ignited both sides of the abortion debate. For years, the Clinton administration had said that as long as private dollars paid for the extraction of the stem cells, federal money could be used for research. Scientists hope to use stem cells - which can grow into any type of human tissue - to treat Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other diseases. LOAD-DATE: November 2, 2001 Source: LEXIS/NEXIS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn