U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chair of the House Bipartisan Pro-Life Caucus, today issued the following statement in opposition to S. 5—a bill to allow federal funding for embryo-destroying stem cell research—and in support of ethical research alternatives.

    “Embryonic stem cell research has had a poor track record, and if it ever did work, it would mean requiring the killing of millions of embryos. That is where this bill would lead us.”

    “President Bush has given us his commitment that he will veto this misguided legislation as he has done in the past. I am confident that we will once again have the numbers to sustain his veto in the House.”

    “Embryo destroying stem cell research has at least three strikes against it. It has the propensity to morph into tumors and—if it ever did work, which it has not yet—it carries an enormous proclivity for rejection by those in need. And finally, and most importantly, embryonic stem cell research and potential treatment requires the killing of human embryos.”

    “Adult stem cells have led to one breakthrough after another, all attributed to cord blood, amniotic fluid and the like—that’s where the hope is. Not in destroying embryos to derive stem cells.”

    “Earlier this week, I met with Wake Forest University researcher Dr. Anthony Atala who led the team credited with the extraordinary discovery of a new readily available source of life saving stem cells derived exclusively from amniotic fluid. Dr. Atala made it absolutely clear that these amniotic stem cells are pluripotent and that this research—along with numerous other remarkable initiatives in regenerative medicine including those announced in this morning’s newspapers—are progressing robustly.”

    Smith is the author of the landmark law, “The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005” (P.L. 109-129), which seeks to increase the nation’s supply of cord blood and create a national registry to match cord blood for those in need, opening the door to potentially hundreds of cures and treatments by using the stem cells in umbilical cords.

    In total, the “Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005” (P.L. 109-129) authorized $265 million dollars for umbilical cord blood collection and storage and for reauthorization of the National Bone Marrow Registry.

    Smith's law created the first national inventory to collect the needed units of blood and make them readily available. It authorized collection of 150,000 units of cord blood, with a focus on genetic diversity that is expected to meet the needs of 90% of all patients. These units will be made available through an open registry that will link public cord blood banks nationwide to simplify a physician’s search for a blood match.