( his one areimportant and should give u...)Remarks by President Bush on Stem Cell Veto and Executive Order,Health

The researchers pursuing these kinds of ethically responsible advances deserve our support, and there is legislation in Congress to give them that support. Recently, the United States Senate passed a bill sponsored by Norm Coleman and others that would authorize additional federal funding for alternative stem cell research. The bill was approved with the backing of 70 United States senators. The House leaders need to pass similar legislation that would authorize additional funds for ethical stem cell research. That would be an important advancement. It would be an important statement. Because we can't lose the opportunity to conduct research that would give hope to those suffering from terrible diseases -- and help this country move beyond the controversies over embryo destruction.

We have a good chance to put aside all the politics and focus on a good piece of legislation that advances science and doesn't cross an ethical line. Norm, I want to thank you and Johnny Isakson for sponsoring that piece of legislation. (Applause.)

In the meantime, my administration is taking immediate action to increase our support for researchers in their vital work. Earlier today, I issued an executive order to strengthen our nation's commitment to research on pluripotent stem cells. This order takes a number of important steps. The order directs the Department of Health and Human Services and the NIH to ensure that any human pluripotent stem cell lines produced in ways that do not create, destroy, or harm human embryos will be eligible for federal funding.

The order expands the NIH Embryonic Stem Cell registry to include all types of ethically produced human pluripotent stem cells. The order renames the registry -- calls it this, the Pluripotent Stem Cell Registry -- so it reflects what stem cells can do, ins
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