By U.S. Representative Diana DeGette

As we close out the first decade of the 21st century, stem cell research in the United States has never been closer to achieving its promise. After years of politics standing in the way of science, a new era has begun and stem cell research in our nation is finally driving towards its promised realities. Congress now has a critical role to play to ensure that the scientists and individuals who stand to benefit from the potential of this research will have stability backing their quest for life-changing cures, and their work can no longer be subject to the whims of political grandstanding.

Since the discovery of human embryonic stem cells in 1998, the vast majority of biomedical researchers have continued to identify human embryonic stem cell research as the most promising source of treatments for diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury. With the unique ability to  become any cell in the body, human embryonic stem cells truly are the key to allowing science to reach a whole new level.