<Li> Connecticut, Public Act 05 - 149 (2005) </Li> <P> Policy stances on stem cell research of various political leaders in the United States have not always been predictable . </P> <P> As a rule, most Democratic Party leaders and high - profile supporters and even rank and file members have pushed for laws and policies almost exclusively favoring embryonic stem cell research . President Bill Clinton supported the NIH's guidelines in 2000 . Both the major candidates in 2008 had supported the 2005 and 2007 bills, in particular Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bill Clinton's First Lady, then U.S. Senator for New York, and Barack Obama, then U.S. Senator for Illinois, who promised to sign the EFCA into law, and was a cosponsor of such bills . Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick is also a proponent of embryonic stem cell research . There have been some Democrats who have asked for boundaries be placed on human embryo use . For example, Carolyn McCarthy has publicly stated she only supports using human embryos "that would be discarded". </P> <P> The Republicans largely oppose embryonic stem cell research in favor of adult stem cell research which has already produced cures and treatments for cancer and paralysis for example, but there are some high - profile exceptions who offer qualified support for some embryonic stem cell research . Prominent Republican leaders against embryonic stem cell research include Sarah Palin, Jim Talent, Rick Santorum, and Sam Brownback . In July 2001: </P>

Stem cell laws and policy in the united states