The following letter, by House Representative Diana Degette, was sent to 25,000 Coloradans, urging them to show their support for science by signing this petition. I'd like to forward this request on to the scientific community at large. I hope that every ScienceBlogs reader can take a moment to sign. You'll only need to take a minute to enter your name, email, and zipcode. (Apparently, this also signs up for the ProgressNow.org mailing list. They occasionally send out calls to action in other progressive areas. If you aren't interested, it's very easy to unsubscribe.)
Dear ProgressNowAction Network Member,We are on the brink of history. Will you help?
More than one year ago, the House of Representatives passed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (H.R. 810). This bill would override President Bush's 2001 decision to limit federal funding of embryonic stem cell research and take the first step toward providing potential cures for many debilitating diseases including Parkinson's and diabetes. As author of the legislation and the mother of a diabetic daughter, the passage of H.R. 810 was one of my proudest moments.
The U.S. Senate is poised to pass this landmark legislation this week and send it to the President's desk for his signature. Unfortunately, despite the support of 72% of Americans and overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, President Bush is threatening to use the first veto of his presidency on this life saving research.
Please click on the petition below and urge President Bush to reconsider his veto threat:
http://progressnowaction.org/stemcellsupport
On Friday, the President is coming to Denver for a fundraiser for Rick O'Donnell, the right wing candidate running for the open seat in the seventh district. O'Donnell is opposed to embryonic stem cell research and out of touch with mainstream Colorado. I will confront President Bush on Friday with your petition and show him that we care about this life saving research and that he should too.
Thank you. With your continued support we will expand this ground breaking research.
Sincerely,
Rep. Diana DeGette
Description of the stem cell photograph under fold:
Bush photo from PBS; stem cell image by Ren-He Xu, via the University of Wisconson-Madison. The caption on the latter reads "This image depicts a colony of human embryonic stem cells grown over a period of 10 months in the absence of mouse feeder cells. The cell nuclei are stained green; the cell surface appears in red."
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