Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007

Floor Speech

GENETIC INFORMATION NONDISCRIMINATION ACT OF 2007

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Mr. SHAYS. Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor of H.R. 493, I rise in strong support of this legislation and am grateful we are finally considering it. The objective of this bill is simple: preventing both health insurance companies and employers from using genetic information to discriminate against individuals.

In the past decade, science has made remarkable advances on the human genome. Genetic tests are already available to measure an individual's likelihood of developing specific diseases. In fact, soon every individual will have a genetic profile available that predicts the diseases for which they are more at risk, and what side effects to which they are more susceptible. These genetic advances will make health care pre-emptive and ultimately save the health care system--and consumers--money.

While these advances hold amazing potential, they also hold potential for abuse. For example, health insurance companies could charge higher rates--or even deny coverage--to individuals who are determined to be at higher risk for certain disease or illnesses. Similarly, employers could screen applicants for certain positions based on their genetic make-up to get the individuals least likely to develop diseases.

Our laws need to keep pace with medical advancement. If Americans are afraid of retribution from their health insurance company or from their employer if they get genetic testing done, none of the medical advances that are possible will be achieved. We simply must move forward in this critical area of science, which is why I urge passage of this legislation.

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