[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3960 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3960

 To authorize the use of Federal funds for research on human embryonic 
   stem cells irrespective of the date on which such stem cells were 
                    derived, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 11, 2004

    Ms. Millender-McDonald introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the use of Federal funds for research on human embryonic 
   stem cells irrespective of the date on which such stem cells were 
                    derived, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Stem Cell Replenishment Act of 
2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Scientists have shown they can direct human embryonic 
        stem cells to develop into insulin-producing cells that might 
        help cure juvenile diabetes. Up to 100 million Americans may 
        benefit from research in this area.
            (2) Parkinson's disease is a very common neurodegenerative 
        disorder that affects more than 2 percent of the population 
        over 65 years of age.
            (3) Several laboratories have been successful in developing 
        methods to induce embryonic stem cells to differentiate into 
        cells with many of the functions of dopamine-producing neurons 
        used to relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
            (4) Without Federal funding for research relating to human 
        embryonic stem cells--
                    (A) the Nation's top academic researchers at 
                universities, medical schools, and teaching hospitals 
                would be precluded from joining in the search for 
                cures;
                    (B) progress in this search would be much slower; 
                and
                    (C) the United States would lag behind and loose 
                its leadership role in scientific achievement and 
                discovery.
            (5) On August 9, 2001, the President announced that Federal 
        funds may be used for research on human embryonic stem cell 
        lines only if--
                    (A) prior to the President's announcement--
                            (i) the derivation process (which commences 
                        with the removal of the inner cell mass from 
                        the blastocyst) had already been initiated; and
                            (ii) the embryo from which the stem cell 
                        line was derived no longer had the possibility 
                        of development as a human being;
                    (B) the stem cells involved were derived from an 
                embryo that was created for reproductive purposes;
                    (C) the embryo was no longer needed for such 
                purposes;
                    (D) informed consent was obtained for the donation 
                of the embryo; and
                    (E) no financial inducements were provided for 
                donation of the embryo.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL FUNDING OF STEM CELL RESEARCH.

    (a) Derivation Date.--Notwithstanding the President's announcement 
regarding stem cell research on August 9, 2001, and the notice 
published by the National Institutes of Health on November 7, 2001, 
entitled ``Notice of Criteria for Federal Funding of Research on 
Existing Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Establishment of NIH Human 
Embryonic Stem Cell Registry'' (NOT-OD-02-006), Federal funds may be 
used for research on human embryonic stem cells irrespective of the 
date on which the derivation process for such stem cells was initiated 
or completed.
    (b) Rule of Construction.--Except with respect to the derivation 
date requirement described in subsection (a), this section shall not be 
construed to affect the requirements made applicable to human embryonic 
stem cell research in guidelines and notices published by the National 
Institutes of Health.
    (c) Administrative Review.--The Director of the National Institutes 
of Health shall--
            (1) review the guidelines and notices published by the 
        National Institutes of Health with respect to human embryonic 
        stem cell research; and
            (2) revise such guidelines and notices to the extent 
        necessary to ensure the availability of not less than 60 stem 
        cell lines that are scientifically fit for distribution for 
        research purposes.
                                 <all>