Did Ben Cardin vote against stem cell research?

[TomPainesBones]

Someone just mentioned to me that Cardin voted against stem cell research. But as far as I can tell he voted against a bill that would have restricted embryonic stem cell research. Anyone have more info?

[hlthe2b]

1. He apparently voted against a "bad" or at least insufficient bill

Sort of like the way the Repugs name everything in direct opposition to what it really represents, just so they can use the strawman argument when needed that "Dems voted AGAINST "clean air" or "support the troops" or whatever...

I'm sure someone here that knows the specifics will weigh in, but I surely hope that progressives have learned this lesson by now... If it smells like a pile of dung, yes, a Republican is in the room!

[mcg]

2. It was a protest vote against anti-ESCR wording.

From
http://boards.courttv.com/showthread.php?s=f03cfdf03288868d3bb90ac0391260bf&threadid=278317

Here is how Cardin actually voted.

Official Title of Legislation:

HR 810: To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research.
Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote to pass a bill that allows the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that uses human embryonic stem cells.

Cardin voted yes.

Official Title of Legislation:
HR 810: To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research.
Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote to override a presidential veto on a bill that allows for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that uses human embryonic stem cells.
NOTE: TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY OF THOSE PRESENT AND VOTING IS REQUIRED TO OVERRIDE A PRESIDENTIAL VETO.

Cardin voted yes.

S 2754: A bill to derive human pluripotent stem cell lines using techniques that do not knowingly harm embryos.
Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote to pass a bill amending the Public Health Service Act to develop methods for stem cell production, without the use of human embryos.

Cardin voted no.

http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=H1661103

What he voted against was the Alternative Stem Cell Therapies Act sponsored by Santorum.

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?vote_id=3876&can_id=H1661103

[TomPainesBones]

3. Thanks mcg, I actually googled those same links earlier

So the Alternative Stem Cell Therapies Act would have prohibited embryonic stem cell research?

[mcg]

4. Not exactly, but it would not permit federal funding of ESCR.

This bill was contraversial, even for those who are pro-ESCR,
some voted for it, some against it.

The Christopher Reeve Foundation considers it an anti-ESCR decoy bill,
I think that was Cardin's position and Fox agrees with him.

"How to Save Stem-Cell Research" (from wired.com):

http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,68252,00.html

From curepayalysisnow.org:

"The Truth About Embryonic Stem Cell Alternatives
Executive Summary: There aren’t any.

The first potential alternative is a promising breakthrough in the biotech world of stem cell research with the news that Harvard scientists reported taking skincells to generate embryonic stem cells.

Researcher Kevin Eggan and his colleagues achieved this
dramatic medical advance by fusing individual adult skin cells and bone
cells to embryonic cells.

However Eggan estimates it may be as much as ten years before this method can be used in treatment. His complete report appeared in the journal Science on-line on August 22. ..."

http://www.cureparalysisnow.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=618&sid=1f6a13fcbdb765f3d1bb72acad098371