Michael J. Fox asked to State of the Union

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., has invited actor and embryonic stem cell activist Michael J. Fox to attend the State of the Union address.

Fox said he was "honored" to attend President George W. Bush's address Jan. 23 with Langevin, the congressman's office said.

"I have often said diseases and disorders are a non-partisan issue that requires a bipartisan solution," said Fox, who has Parkinson's disease.

Langevin -- who has been wheelchair-bound since he was a teenager -- previously asked other celebrities to "highlight the importance of pushing embryonic stem cell research forward."

The House Jan. 11 passed legislation that would expand embryonic stem cell research. The Senate has not yet acted on the measure.