March 9, 2009 - Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) made the following remarks on President Obama's decision to allow federal funding of embryonic stem cell research: 

“It is astounding to me that we have now witnessed the same President who said 'There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being,' now make three decisions within his first three months in office to remove critical protections that protect the dignity of innocent human life.  Sadly, the decision is grounded purely in partisan politics, since all the remarkable advances in stem cell research have used methods that did not require the destruction of human embryos.

"These ethical, non-controversial stem cell treatments, from sources such as umbilical cord blood and reprogrammed skin cells, are at the vanguard of scientific research in this arena.  Literally thousands of patients, with conditions such as Parkinson's, sickle cell anemia, and diabetes – have seen their symptoms alleviated or cured with these treatments. 

"Unethical Embryonic research, on the other hand, has yielded not one scientific breakthrough for fighting disease.  Yet, federal funds that would have gone toward proven, innovative ethical stem cell research will now be diverted to destroy innocent human life.

"So for President Obama to ignore the incredible advances that have been derived from sound ethical research, and force taxpayers to fund research that is not only morally objectionable but scientifically unproven, is both astounding and tragic, and it runs absolutely counter to the most basic American value-- that of the dignity of all innocent human life."