Randy's Roundup (House Ag Committee Heads to Virginia & Stem Cell Research Debate Comes Front and Center)

House Ag Committee Heads to Virginia

The House Agriculture Committee's tour of the country made yet another stop this week. This time, the destination was western Virginia. As with the previous stops on the tour, including the visit to Texas in May, the Committee heard from producers in the region to gather input on what the 2007 Farm Bill should look like.

Farmers in Virginia had insights and concerns similar to producers in Texas. They believe the current Farm Bill is working well and sang the praises of certain programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). There was also strong support for ethanol research and production. I am glad to hear that both EQIP and ethanol production have garnered support across the country. Both of these issues are important to the 19th District and should remain a part of U.S. farm policy.

The Virginia hearing marks the fifth full committee field hearing I have attended this year (I also attended a subcommittee hearing in Georgia). These hearings have been very informative and should prove beneficial as we begin our work in the Ag Committee next year to shape the future of farm policy in America.

Stem Cell Research Debate Comes Front and Center

This week, President Bush and members of Congress will turn their attentions to the issue of stem cell research. As the stem cell debate unfolds, it is important to understand what exactly is being debated. Most - if not all - members of Congress and much of the American public support ethical stem cell research. Furthermore, all types of stem cell research are legal at this time. The differences in opinion arise over what types of research are funded by the federal government.

I support using federal funds to back adult stem cell research which treats all human beings - even the smallest among us - with the dignity and respect they deserve and has the best track record of improving the lives of the sick and impaired. In the past few months alone, more and more adult stem cells are demonstrating the same flexibility as embryonic stem cells. For example, studies show that bone marrow stem cells can turn into most tissue types. Stem cells taken from an adult's nose can develop into heart cells, liver cells and even brain cells. As a result, I will vote in favor of S. 2754, the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act. This bill has protections to prevent funding from going to any techniques that would harm or destroy human embryos.

In addition to this bill supporting adult stem cell research, another bill is currently making its way through Congress that would use taxpayer dollars to fund research on embryonic stem cells. This type of research crosses ethical boundaries since it inevitably results in the destruction of a human life. Unfortunately, this bill has already passed the House and is likely to pass the Senate. However, President Bush has signaled that he will veto the embryonic stem cell legislation if it reaches his desk. If the president does veto the bill, the House will then vote on whether to sustain that veto. I support President Bush's stance and will vote only for ethical stem cell research.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/tx19_neugebauer/morenews/RR071706.html