(Warwick, R.I.)–Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today expressed renewed optimism regarding the passage of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act after Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist announced his support on the issue. Langevin sent a letter to Frist in May urging him to allow the Senate to consider S. 471. A nearly identical bill (H.R. 810) passed this spring in the House by a bipartisan vote of 238 to 194.

“Frist’s support should come as extremely encouraging news to the millions of Americans who stand to benefit from advances in embryonic stem cell research,” said Langevin. “While work still remains to bring the matter before the full Senate for a vote, I believe the door has been opened for meaningful, constructive dialogue.”

Langevin also met with President George W. Bush’s top domestic advisor in late June in an effort to sway the President’s staunch opposition to an expansion in stem cell research policy.

“Millions of Americans are suffering from diseases and chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and heart disease among others, for which this research holds the promise of treatments or cures,” said Langevin. “We simply must provide our nation’s scientists with the tools they need to proceed down this historic path.”

Nearly four years ago, the Bush Administration enacted restrictive regulations that allow federal funding for research solely on those stem cell lines derived prior to August 2001. Earlier this year, Langevin and Representatives Mike Castle (R-DE) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) introduced the bi-partisan Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which would direct the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health to expand funding of research to those stem cell lines derived after August 9, 2001.

Under the legislation, stem cell lines will be eligible for federal research only if they meet the following requirements:

• The embryos used to derive the stem cells were originally created for fertility treatment purposes and are in excess of clinical need.
• The individuals seeking fertility treatments have decided to discard these excess embryos
• The individuals for whom the embryos were created have voluntarily provided written, informed consent for the donation.