So far the House of Representatives has passed the Stem Cell Research bill. If it becomes law it could impact our area, especially the Windber Research Institute. Nick Jacobs is the President of Windber Medical Center. He tells Channel 6 News, "I do believe that the whole concept of stem cell research would definitely help the economy. But again, it's the whole moral cloud that has to be sorted through." A cloud that's more of a thunderstorm. The bill in congress would reverse the ban on federally funded embryonic stem cell research. The Windber Research Institute does not do stem cell research but works with groups out of Pittsburgh that do. Those groups use the blood from the umbilical cord for research. Windber then analyzes the recovery process of the subjects. The research is limited on humans but used on animals. Jacobs says, "They had their fingers cut off, so to speak, and they were regrowing fingers. Think of the implications of using stem cells to grow organs or to regenerate the spinal cord."

In Washington Senator Arlen Specter says this bill will be tough on researchers. Senator Arlen Specter, "these stem cells can be utilized only where they were for inveetro fertilization and there is excess and utilized where there is consent of the donors and only utilized under very, very stringent standards."

Jacobs says, "it's one thing to do a heart transplant. It another thing to be able to grow a heart."

Whether or not this Stem Cell bill actually passes is a big if! President Bush is threatening to veto it. What would be his first veto in 5 years in office.