“My heart jumped a beat when I heard Senator Frist’s speech this morning in support of HR 810, ‘The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.’ It was thoughtful. It was comprehensive – from both a scientific and an ethical perspective. I very much hope he will change views in the Senate. I believe his decision will generate new momentum for embryonic stem cell research and speed passage of this bill.

I am disappointed that the Senate did not act on HR. 810 before leaving for the August recess, but I look forward to taking up and passing this bill and the Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Therapy and Research Act when the Senate returns in September.

I reiterate my hope that attempts to obscure this issue by bringing up other bills will be rejected. I think it is appropriate for the Senate to debate other related issues at a different time.

 Senator Frist also addressed the issue of human reproductive cloning. Earlier this week, Senator Hatch and I introduced S. 1520, the Human Cloning Ban Act – with 25 bipartisan cosponsors - which would prohibit once and for all the immoral and unethical act of human reproductive cloning. I believe that Congress must pass a prohibition on human reproductive cloning or attempts to clone human beings.

Yesterday, Senator Reid, the Minority Leader, offered a unanimous consent request for the Senate to take up HR. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act and S. 1317, the Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Therapy and Research Act.

That request was objected to. However, I urge the distinguished Majority Leader to allow this unanimous consent request to go forward immediately when the Senate returns from the August recess.”

The Feinstein-Hatch anti-cloning bill is cosponsored by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Susan Collins (R-ME), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Ted Stevens (R-AK), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), John Kerry (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), James Jeffords (I-VT), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Russell Feingold (D-WI), Barack Obama (D-IL), Jon Corzine (D-NJ), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY).