SEN. MENENDEZ, A LEADING PROPONENT OF STEM CELL RESEARCH, APPLAUDS HOUSE PASSAGE OF BILL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 7, 2007
CONTACTS:Afshin Mohamadi (Menendez) 202-224-4744

Senator reiterates his call for the

President to sign legislation into law

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), a staunch supporter of stem cell research, applauded the passage of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act in the United States House of Representatives today.

The bill, which has already passed the Senate, will now be presented to the president to sign into law or veto. Menendez, whose mother suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, reiterated his call for President Bush to retract his veto threats.

“Today, Congress voted in favor of hope,” said Menendez. “Now it is time for the President to turn the hopes of millions suffering from debilitating diseases into reality.

“A threat to veto is a promise to kill hope. And for those who insist on playing politics with people’s lives, make no mistake about it: the American people are watching and they will not take kindly to seeing their last flicker of hope being extinguished.

“I urge the president to withdraw his warnings and to embrace the will of the American people and the possibilities of science.”

President Bush last year used his first veto in office to strike down similar legislation that passed the Congress.