The Bush Administration's ban on federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research has set back medical research on cures for Parkinson's disease, cancer and other diseases.

Fear of violating Bush's edict (even for something as minor as buying office supplies with federal funding) caused many researchers and institutions logistical headaches. Lifting these restrictions would free researchers to spend less time being concerned about government red tape and more time focusing on research.

President Obama pledged on the campaign trail to reverse the restrictions, opening federal funding for medical research. But he recently said it might be something for Congress to adopt instead. We need to enable stem cell research immediately! Tell Obama now that one of his first acts as president should be to act on his commitment to stem cell research!

Dear President Obama,

Thank you for your pledged support of federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research. Stem cell research is critical for developing cures to diseases like Parkinson's and cancer that afflict millions of Americans. I urge you to make reversing the Bush administration's ban on this funding one of your first acts as president.

Allowing federal grants and National Institutes of Health funding to go toward human embryonic stem cell research will open up hundreds of new cell lines to our nation's best researchers. And accelerating the pace of research into these diseases will bring hope to the millions of patients, friends and family members whose lives are affected.

[Your comment here]

I look forward to hearing you announce your reversal of the Bush ban in your first week in office.

Sincerely,
[Your name here]