Fetus Farming Prohibition Act of 2006
FETUS FARMING PROHIBITION ACT OF 2006 -- (Senate - July 18, 2006)
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Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I wish to address some of the comments made by my colleagues, Senators BROWNBACK and COBURN, during the debate regarding H.R. 810.
Senator COBURN stated that ``every disease Senator HARKIN listed--every disease save ALS--has an adult stem cell or cord blood stem cell cure that has already been proven in humans, without using embryonic stem cells.'' Senator HARKIN listed the following diseases and injuries: cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries, birth defects, and severe burns. My response to Senator COBURN is where are these cures of which he speaks? Cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 killer of Americans. Autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and lupus confound family members of Senators in this Chamber. Nancy Reagan would likely have heard of a cure for Alzheimer's disease. Christopher Reeve recently passed away and his spinal cord injury was not healed by adult or cord blood stem cells. To say that ``proven cures'' exist is to defy the experience and insult the intelligence of millions of Americans.
Senator COBURN stated that we are telling the American people that there are ``no cures other than fetal stem cell research ..... the fact is there is not one cure in this country today from embryonic stem cells.'' First, I have always supported all forms of medical research. My goal is to attain cures and treatments for diseases by whatever technology works. If there were restrictions on adult stem cells, I would be the first to introduce legislation to eliminate those restrictions. The fact is, there are no restrictions on Federal funding for adult stem cell research, and there are severe limitations on Federal funding for embryonic stem cells.
Now, to the point on there being no cures from embryonic stem cells: That is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Human embryonic stem cells were discovered in 1998. Since that time, there have been severe limitations on the funding for basic research into how to make proper use of these incredible cells. Perhaps, if we had not had any restrictions, there would now be cures available. When I say that ``embryonic stem cells hold great promise for treating, curing and improving our understanding of diseases'' like diabetes, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and heart disease, I am quoting Dr. Elias Zerhouni, President Bush's appointee as head of the National Institutes of Health, NIH. When I say that ``human stem cell research represents one of the most exciting opportunities in biomedical research,'' I am quoting Dr. David Schwartz, the Director of the National Institute on Environmental Health Sciences and 18 other Directors of the NIH. These are the leaders of the biomedical research enterprise in the United States and the world.
Senator COBURN stated, that ``as a matter of fact, [these stem cell lines] are not contaminated.'' I can only respond by telling you that Dr. James Battey, the Chairman of the NIH Stem Cell Task Force--and the man in charge of keeping track of the 21 approved lines--says ``All of the 21 human embryonic stem cell lines eligible for Federal funding have been exposed to mouse cells.'' It is unlikely these cells will ever be useful for the clinical applications and cures that everyone wants.
Senator COBURN stated that ``there is no limitation in this country at all on private research.'' I do not agree with that statement. Privately funded research in the United States counts on scientists and doctors trained by the NIH. The chokehold on Federal funding has kept young scientists from entering the field of stem cell research and limited the number and quality of scientists who can do the work that private investors would like to see done. In addition, when it comes to the basic research that is a necessary first step in curing diseases, private funds are no match for the almost $30 billion investment we make at the NIH.
Senator BROWNBACK notes that this is a question of when life begins. I say this is a question of when life ends. These embryos are already slated to be thrown away. The decision the Senate faces is do we throw these cells away or do we use them to treat diseases that affect over 100 million Americans. This is most definitely a question of when life ends.
Senator BROWNBACK has introduced into the record a list of 72 Current Human Clinical Applications Using Adult Stem Cells. That list includes lupus, multiple sclerosis, testicular cancer, and Hodgkin's lymphoma. I was surprised to find Hodgkin's lymphoma on this list as I have some personal experience with that disease. My physician, Dr. John Glick, a recognized expert in the field of Hodgkin's lymphoma, stated that he had never heard of such a treatment or cure. I wish that I had known that a ``cure'' existed for this disease when I was undergoing chemotherapy, as I would have liked to have avoided some of the unpleasant side effects. I state this to illustrate the point that the diseases on that list are diseases for which adult stem cell therapies have been attempted. In most cases, it just means that doctors tried a bone marrow transplant. There is no doubt that bone marrow transplants are a miraculous treatment, however, they have only been proven to be helpful in blood diseases and enhancing immune systems. The great promise of embryonic stem cells is to expand the group of diseases that can be cured to include motor-neuron, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. This is the great potential that makes patients, like me so excited.
My goal is to enable our scientists and doctors to discover cures that will end the suffering of millions of Americans. Passing H.R. 810 will enable scientists to include stem cell research in their search for cures.
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Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished majority leader for yielding me the time.
As we prepare for the vote, it is my view that it is a clear-cut question to use embryos to save lives because otherwise they will be destroyed. There are some 400,000 frozen embryos, and the choice is discarding them or using them to save lives.
Embryonic stem cells have the flexibility for the potential to cure Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, heart disease and cancer.
I have a constituent, Jim Cordy, in Pittsburgh, PA, who suffers from Parkinson's. Every time I see Jim Cordy, he displays an hour glass. He inverts it, and as the sand passes from one part of the hour glass to the lower, Jim Cordy makes the dramatic point that is the way his life is slipping away in the absence of utilizing all means possible to cure Parkinson's. The number one possibility is embryonic stem cell research.
Senator Brownback and I had a debate where he challenged me on when life began, and I retorted--suffering from Hodgkin's cancer myself--the question on my mind was when life ended. Life will never begin for these embryos because there are 400,000 frozen embryos in the US. Notwithstanding millions of dollars appropriated to encourage adoption, only 128 have been adopted.
So those lives will not begin, but many other lives will end if we do not use all the scientific resources available.
In bygone years, Galileo was prosecuted when he insisted the world was round. Columbus was discouraged from seeking America because the world was flat and it was impossible to find a new continent. Boniface VIII stopped the use of cadavers, indispensable for medical research. And the Scottish Turks prohibited anesthesia for women in childbirth because it was God's will that women should suffer.
A century from now people will look back in amazement that we could even have this debate where the issues are so clear-cut. I urge my colleagues to support S. 2754, which I cosponsored with Senator Santorum, which is long run----
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator's time has expired.
Mr. SPECTER. I ask unanimous consent for 30 seconds more.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. SPECTER. Which promotes stem cell research without destroying the embryo. But the real core issue is the third vote on H.R. 810 which will allow Federal funding, which is now in the range, at NIH, of $30 billion a year, which can save so many lives.
I thank the majority leader and thank the Chair and yield the floor.
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