Subject: Action Alert - Urge President Obama to Issue Executive Stem Cell Order!
From: ssscr@vcu.edu
Date: 03/02/2009 2:31 PM

Hello everyone,

I hope you all are enjoying this snow day. I know I am. Since you have the free time, why not take a few 
moments to consider the following:

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SSSCR Action Alert
Urge President Obama to Issue Stem Cell Executive Order! 

  

The Student Society for Stem Cell Research (SSSCR) urges President Obama to immediately sign an Executive Order
lifting the restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. 

On February 24, 2008 President Obama vowed to Congress and the American people to “seek a cure for cancer in our 
time [28:40].” Cancer stem cell research is one of the most promising paths towards finding efficacious therapies 
for the hardest to treat cancers. An immediate Executive Order will parallel this vision, demonstrate a sense of 
urgency to finding treatments to major illnesses/conditions, and express empathy for the pain and suffering patients 
and their family members experience each day. 

The restriction on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research has been one of the most politically contentious 
issues of the past decade and a defining ideology of the Bush Administration. It is important that President Obama 
send a clear message about the damaging impact of this policy on medical research and people’s lives and to implement
his vision for new cures. 

It is time to end the debate and fund the research. 

Please join SSSCR in urging President Obama to immediately sign an Executive Order removing the restrictions on the 
most promising research of our generation. SSSCR encourages you to take action today!  Follow these steps: 

Contact the White House today and urge President Obama to issue an immediate Executive Order lifting the restrictions 
on research.  

Click here (whitehouse.gov/contact/) and paste the following message in the text box: 

“I ask you to immediately issue an Executive Order to reverse the federal restriction on funding for human embryonic 
stem cell research.  Progress has been stalled long enough. The 128 million Americans who suffer from cancer, Alzheimer's, 
diabetes, Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries, heart disease, ALS, and others diseases look to you to allow embryonic stem 
cell research to move forward.  Research cannot wait for legislation. An Executive Order from you today could offer hope 
for so many.” 

Change your Facebook Status to share this important message with your friends. 

Read SSSCR’s position statement: 

“The Student Society for Stem Cell Research (SSSCR) strongly supports a two-stage strategy for immediate reversal of 
restrictions on federally-funded human embryonic stem cell research. 

(1). President Obama should immediately sign an Executive Order to lift the restrictions on federally-funded embryonic 
stem cell research so that obstacles hindering researchers can be removed and progress can be achieved. 

(2). Congress should establish the appropriate ethical and regulatory framework for human embryonic stem cell research 
through legislation.” 

Given that stem cell scientists are still bound by the restrictions imposed by President Bush, there is no time to waste 
in changing the policy for federally-funded embryonic stem cell research. Degenerative diseases and chronic illness threaten 
the solvency of our health care system and are bankrupting families nationwide.  For example, the Alzheimer’s Association 
reports that the medical costs of Alzheimer’s in the United States will skyrocket to 189 billion dollars by 2015. 

More than 100 million Americans and their families are affected by spinal cord injury, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, 
Alzheimer’s disease and other debilitating diseases and conditions that could benefit from advances in stem cell research.  
In January 2009, the FDA approved clinical trials for the treatment of spinal cord injury using embryonic stem cells. Stem 
cell research offers hope to families and solutions to the future health and economic challenges our nation faces.  An immediate 
Executive Order by President Barack Obama is the significant step on our journey towards cures.  

For more information, contact Matt Hanzlik, National Advocacy & Government Affairs Chair, hanzl018@umn.edu, (651) 492-6480 

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It would be fantastic if we could get each and every member from our chapter to do this. If you do it, will you please reply to 
this email to let me know? SSSCR will be checking in to gauge our progress and I'd like to share with them just how many people 
chose to help out.
 
Thanks for your time,
Katelyn Procci
President
Student Society for Stem Cell Research, VCU Chapter
http://www.studentorg.vcu.edu/ssscr/