Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005
STEM CELL RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - May 24, 2005)
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Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I am fortunate to represent the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where Dr. Jamie Thompson and his team were the first to derive and culture human embryonic stem cells in a lab. These cells can be described as the parent cells of all tissues in the body. Embryonic stem cells open the possibility of dramatic new medical treatments, transplantation therapies, and cures.
But at 9 p.m. on August 9, 2001, the hope and promise of this embryonic stem cell research was greatly curtailed. President Bush declared that researchers who received Federal funding could work only with embryonic stem cell lines created before that date and time. There were supposed to be 78 lines that were eligible for federally funded research. However, due to age, old technologies, contamination, only 22 are useful for research today.
Mr. Speaker, why are we tying the hands of our scientists who receive NIH grants or other Federal dollars to support their research? Why are we curtailing scientific progress in America while scientists in other countries rapidly seize the opportunity inherent in advancing this research?
H.R. 810 creates strong new safeguards and guidelines concerning research on human embryonic stem cells. Strict criteria, including written informed consent for donation, must be met before Federal researchers can derive and culture new stem cell lines.
Some Members on the other side of this debate say their constituents are opposed to their Federal tax dollars being used on this groundbreaking science. Well, I have constituents as well, like young Jessie Alswager of Madison, Wisconsin. Jessie has juvenile diabetes, and every year he comes to Washington to lobby for this research to move us closer to a cure. Jessie is only 8; so I do not think he pays taxes yet; but his mom, Michelle, sure does. And Michelle, like millions of other Americans who could be helped by this science, very much want their tax dollars spent on stem cell research.
I urge support of the Castle-DeGette bill.
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