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Hot Electric Quicksand . . .
 might describe a July heat wave, but it's actually the name of the first entry in U2FP's new blog page - The Cure Warriors. Written by that legendary scribe, vgrafen, "Quicksand" is sure to entertain and hopefully, move you to action. Here's a little taste . . .
"Rest assured, friends, my intention now and forevermore is not to whine and moan and expect pity from the able-bodied. No, pity alone shall not shake the halls of Congress and the White House. It is not pity I or the members of Unite2Fightparalysis seek, it is action, political, social and medical action which will lead to the development of cures for this pitiless condition. But, in order to stir those in positions to help, they must understand what a paralytic (or 'plegic' as I refer to myself and any other para- or quadriplegic) endures every waking moment of their day. Without this glimpse at what we suffer, there is no impetus to act, there is no necessity to move NOW and get us out of our chairs."
Read more here.
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Legislative Update
As most everyone knows, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (S 5) passed the House of Representatives on June 7 by a vote of 247 to 176. The same bill passed the Senate earlier this year (April 11th) by a vote of 63 to 34. Unfortunately, President Bush vetoed the bill on June 20, 2007.
Advocates from around the country and all walks of life will continue to press for the enactment of stem cell legislation into law. The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR), of which U2FP is a member, is leading the charge. According to their newsletter, "Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) included legislative language in the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008 that would change the current date limiting the use of federal funds on embryonic stem cell research to June 15, 2007. The bill, with this amendment, was approved by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on June 21, 2007."
It is clear that the American public wants our country to pursue embryonic stem cell research. We encourage all of our readers to make their voices heard on this issue - with letters to legislators, news stories in local papers, telling your friends and neighbors why this research is important to you.
If you need some inspiration, read some more of vgrafen's blog about how he talks to folks, or watch the Pitts family's home-made video about the promise of stem cell research for their son.
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The Christopher & Dana Reeve Paralysis Act
continues to gain cosponsors, and we are optimistic that it will reach the floor of both the House and Senate this year. This bill will benefit all survivors of paralysis by coordinating research and setting up a clinical trial infrastructure. If your Senator or Representative has not yet signed on as a cosponsor, please contact them now and repeatedly to ask for their support. Visit U2FP's CDRPA page for links to the bill's text and updated list of cosponsors.
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