THE WHITE HOUSE 

Office of the Press Secretary

 ________________________________________________________________

                       January 28, 2008

 

STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
As Prepared for Delivery

. . .

     On matters of science and life, we must trust in the innovative spirit of medical researchers and empower them to discover new treatments while respecting moral boundaries.  In November, we witnessed a landmark achievement when scientists discovered a way to reprogram adult skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells.  This breakthrough has the potential to move us beyond the divisive debates of the past by extending the frontiers of medicine without the destruction of human life.  So we are expanding funding for this type of ethical medical research.  And as we explore promising avenues of research, we must also ensure that all life is treated with the dignity it deserves.  So I call on the Congress to pass legislation that bans unethical practices such as the buying, selling, patenting, or cloning of human life.