Washington, May 24, 2005 -  

U.S. Representative John R. Carter (TX-31), a former state district judge of 20 years, made the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 810, which would allow federal tax dollars to fund stem cell research:

"I cannot convey the deep disappointment that I have in my heart. I fully support advances in medical research, but I believe the government has a legitimate purpose of protecting the most helpless and innocent of our society – the unborn child.

"Tonight, we failed to achieve our purpose, but strived to correct our mistake by passing H.R. 2520 which would authorize medical research on human cord blood stem cells without causing harm to the mother or child."