[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 33 (Wednesday, March 22, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H1250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    STEM CELL RESEARCH HELPS US FURTHER UNDERSTAND CERTAIN MEDICAL 
                               CONDITIONS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney of New York) is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, last week, there was a hearing 
before the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment of the Committee 
on Commerce concerning fetal tissue. Though the hearing was purported 
to be about alleged abuses involving fetal tissue for medical research, 
I believe it was an attempt by antichoice Members to try to stop 
lifesaving research involving fetal tissue and stem cells.
  Mr. Speaker, I have introduced House Resolution 414 in a bipartisan 
manner with the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and many 
others to allow Federal funding of human pluripotent stem cell research 
to help us further understand Parkinson's Disease and other medical 
conditions.
  I am asking for no specific amount of money nor to direct disease-
specific research. I am only asking that Federal money be allowed to be 
used to utilize the next best chance science has to not only treat, but 
to cure debilitating and life-threatening illnesses that afflict 
millions of Americans.
  Many people have been confusing human pluripotent stem cell research 
with human embryo research. Stem cells are not embryos. There is now a 
ban on the use of Federal funds for human embryo research in the United 
States. Stem cells cannot develop into a complete human being and 
therefore, under the law, they are not embryos. Stem cells are a type 
of cell that can be turned into almost any type of cell or tissue in 
the body. With further research, these cells can be used as replacement 
cells and tissues to treat many diseases, including Parkinson's 
Disease, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, AIDS, Lou Gehrig's Disease, and many 
others.
  Stem cell research holds hope of one day being able to treat brain 
injury, spinal cord injury and stroke for which there is currently no 
treatment available. They may solve the problem of the body's reaction 
to foreign tissue, resulting in dramatic improvements in the treatment 
of a number of life-threatening conditions, such as burns and kidney 
failure, for which transplantation is currently used.
  Mr. Speaker, my resolution, House Resolution 414, discusses 
Parkinson's Disease in particular for many reasons. My family has been 
personally affected by this devastating illness, and I am proud to 
serve as cochair of the congressional working group on Parkinson's 
Disease. However, it is science that makes the best argument to lead 
with this disease.
  With all that is already known about Parkinson's Disease, it is 
believed that with Federal funds and stem cell research, it is very 
possible that Parkinson's Disease could not only be treatable, but 
curable within as little as 5 years.
  Dr. Gerald Fischbach, the Director of the National Institute of 
Neurological Disorders and Stroke, said last year in the Senate, and I 
quote, ``I concur that we are close to solving, and I mean the word 
`solving,' Parkinson's Disease. I hesitate to put an actual year or 
number on it. I think with all the intensive effort, with a little bit 
of skill and luck, 5 to 10 years is not unrealistic. We will do 
everything possible to reduce that below 5 years. I would not rule that 
out.''
  Mr. Speaker, here is why that is possible. Parkinson's Disease is a 
progressive degenerative brain disease which kills a specialized and 
vital type of brain cell, a cell which produces the substance dopamine, 
that is essential for normal development and balance. The loss of these 
dopamine-producing cells causes symptoms, including slowness and 
paucity of movement, tremors, stiffness and difficulty walking and 
balancing, which makes the sufferer unable to carry out the normal 
activities of daily living.
  In 30 percent of the cases, those symptoms include dementia. As the 
disease progresses, it inflicts horrific physical, emotional, and 
financial burdens on the patient and family, requiring the care-giver 
to assist in the activities of daily living and may eventually lead to 
placement in a nursing home until death. With further research into 
stem cells, scientists will be able to reprogram the stem cells into 
the dopamine-producing cells which are lost in Parkinson's Disease.
  Parkinson's Disease affects at least 1 million Americans. Fifty 
thousand are diagnosed each year, and for every one diagnosed, two who 
have Parkinson's Disease are not diagnosed. It is alarming to think 
that 2 million Americans with Parkinson's Disease are undiagnosed. 
Parkinson's Disease costs the Federal Government approximately $10 
billion in health care costs and, on an average, the cost per patient 
is 5,000 per year.
  As a society, we spend $15 billion a year on Parkinson's disease and 
that is only in direct costs for treatments that only bring temporary 
relief.
  Building on the technology developed from research on Parkinson's 
disease makes treatments and even cures possible for many conditions. 
These include Alzheimer's, diabetes, AIDS, Lou Gehrig's, brain injury, 
spinal cord injury, stroke, and problems with the body's reaction to 
foreign tissue.
  It may even provide for safer and more effective ways to test drugs 
without experimenting on humans and animals.
  We cannot allow the opportunities afforded us by stem cell research 
to go untapped!
  The National Institutes of Health has proposed guidelines to human 
stem cell research to address the legal and ethical issues surrounding 
this particular type of research.
  It is being approached in a responsible way to utilize the technology 
while being sensitive to the ethical questions raised.
  The National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) even felt they 
could have gone further and is very supportive of allowing this type of 
research to continue with Federal funding.
  The NBAC points out that Federally funding this research will allow 
Federal oversight to ensure this type of research continues ethically.
  And finally, the American people support stem cell research as shown 
by a nationwide survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation 
International last year that found that 74% of those polled favored 
funding of stem cell research by NIH.
  Federal funds are crucial to allow scientists to proceed with stem 
cell research and to exploit fully this novel, innovative, and ground-
breaking technology.

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