Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007

STEM CELL RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2007

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Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007. This bill is a result of the tireless efforts of my esteemed colleagues DIANA DEGETTE and MIKE CASTLE. I am proud to count myself among the more than 200 Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who have cosponsored this legislation. It is a bipartisan, bicameral bill that passed both Houses of Congress last year.

It was one of the very few truly bipartisan bills to leave this building during the previous Congress. Unfortunately, despite all the public support, despite all the bipartisan support, despite all the hope millions of Americans invested in this legislation, the President decided to invoke his first, and only, veto.

This important piece of legislation authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, to support research involving embryonic stem cells, regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from an embryo. There are stringent ethical guidelines included in this bill. First among them requires that researchers work only with stem cells from embryos that would have otherwise been discarded by fertility clinics. Furthermore, the legislation stipulates that embryos can be used only if the donors give their written consent and receive no money or other inducement in exchange for the embryos.

These strict ethical standards are critical to the advancement of this ground breaking science. The scientific community has the opportunity to ease the suffering of thousands of Americans and their families. A new round of federally funded stem cell research is desperately needed in order to find cures and treatments for diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, ALS, multiple sclerosis, and cancer.

The State of California recognized early on the extraordinary significance of stem cell research. The people of California voted for Proposition 71 to provide $3 billion to unleash the dynamic force of medical research and unlock the promise of life saving scientific research. Researchers in my district are already hard at work and with the enactment of this legislation the scientific community in the bay area will be unshackled. They will lead the way to help those who have been stricken with debilitating diseases.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great hope that this legislation will soon be on the President's desk awaiting his signature. I urge the President to listen to the will of Congress and the pleas of the American people and sign this bill into law.

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