An old article in the September '05 Saturday Evening Post titled Mary Tyler Moore Speaks Out On Stem Cell Research appears to be worth a review. The following summarizes much of the article.
Mary has been Chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for over twenty years. She talked about how stem cell research gives hope for a diabetes cure, how a huge percentage of the American population is for that and how very difficult diabetes is for the children. She said it would not be possible to walk away from the research because the promise is so strong and how scientists have told her that they have a good reason to believe that they can succeed. She also talked about how it's necessary to keep the scientists, whom are dying to get their hands on the cells, from going overseas diminishing the very important U.S. leadership in the technology.
She and 150 of the diabetic children went to Washington to promote their cause. They spoke to both houses. She saw an excited reaction in the Senate as she and the children spoke--the children's stories were so touching. She described how there wasn't a dry eye in the room when they finished.
Of course all the reasons Mary gave for funding the research for diabetes can be said for a whole spectrum of other human ailments.
The House had passed the Castle-DeGette Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act by 238 to 194. She asked the Senate to propose it's own bill. She talked about how she really hoped the president would change his mind, that it's so important.
As we now know, after signing so many regrettable bills, George W vetoed the bill that finally came forward, his first and only veto in all the years of his presidency.
