Washington, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, derided the President’s veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act that was just passed by the House and Senate.  Rep. Markey is an original co-sponsor of the bipartisan measure and his statement is below:

“The stem cell veto is an historic failure for the Bush presidency.  If the Congress does not override his veto, this will be remembered as a Luddite Moment in American history, where fear triumphed over hope and ideology triumphed over science.  Stem cell research is the future of our ability to treat debilitating diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes, and so many other illnesses that American families battle everyday.  With the stroke of his pen, the President has vetoed hope and crushed the aspirations of average American families once again.”