WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. today allowed the Obama administration to continue funding embryonic stem cell research while the Department of Justice appeals Judge Royce Lamberth's decision preventing it.

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Judge Lamberth issued a preliminary injunction after ruling last month that under U.S. law, no federal taxpayer dollars can be used to fund embryonic stem cell research, ending federal funding to research projects nationwide. The Court of Appeals put a stay on Lamberth's preliminary injunction while the Justice Department argues its case.

Of today's ruling, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said:

"Today's ruling is a step backward, moving us further from effective treatments of those in need. Federal money should be targeted where it can make a positive difference, and embryonic stem cells don't meet that standard.

"This ruling amounts to saying that the government can fund an activity that is legally questionable while the legality is being determined by the courts. Judge Lamberth's preliminary injunction to stop human embryonic stem cell research was perfectly reasonable given that funding such research certainly appears to violate current law. If the Appeals court wants to consider the government's appeal, that is understandable, but it is irresponsible to fund something of questionable legality. This amounts to claiming that the activity is in fact legal.

"By re-opening the door to funding human embryonic research, the court is opening up taxpayer funds to create an incentive to create and destroy more human embryos for their stem cells. This decision only diverts scarce resources away from stem cell treatments that are helping people now, for diseases such as spinal cord injury, diabetes, leukemia, blindness and heart disease. American patients should not be lining up to visit Germany for a heart stem cell treatment, while the government continues to pour money into embryonic stem cell research that not only is unethical, but has not treated a single human being.

"We hope that the Court will at least move swiftly to deny the Department of Justice appeal, and that federal taxpayer funds will be diverted toward lifesaving adult stem cells. We also call on Congress to put patients first by passing the bi-partisan Patient's First Act sponsored by Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) to ensure federal dollars are going to stem cell treatments, not embryo destructive research."

SOURCE Family Research Council

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