Michael J. Fox to be guest of congressman at President Bush's State of the Union speech

Michael J. Fox, whose advocacy ads created a stir in last fall's congressional elections, will attend President George W. Bush's State of the Union address next week as a guest of Rhode Island Rep. Jim Langevin.

Photo: Michael J. Fox to be guest of congressman at President Bush's State of the Union speech

Both are staunch supporters of embryonic stem-cell research.

Fox, 45, suffers from Parkinson's disease. As the 2006 elections neared, he appeared in television campaign ads for political candidates who support the research.

"Congressman Langevin is a tireless champion for the advancement of medical research, and I am honored to join him next week at the State of the Union," the actor said in a statement.

Langevin, who has been confined to a wheelchair since an accidental shooting that occurred when he was a teenager, addressed his colleagues in the House of Representatives last week in support of a bill that would bolster embryonic stem cell research.

The Democratic-controlled House passed the legislation, but the White House has promised to veto it, reports AP.

Langevin invited Dana Reeve, Christopher Reeve's widow, as his guest to the State of the Union address in 2005. She died of lung cancer last year.

"I am sure Michael will help to further Chris and Dana's legacy and underscore for the President just how serious I am about pursuing the promise of stem cell research," Langevin said in a statement Tuesday.