[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 67 (Thursday, May 25, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H3828-H3829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        MAPPING OF HUMAN GENOME

  (Ms. SLAUGHTER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak for a moment this 
morning on a measure that affects all Americans and about which I am 
afraid this Congress is doing nothing, and that is the mapping of the 
human genome.
  It is expected to be finished within the next month. We will know 
more about our human body than we have ever known before, and it will 
be a wonderful way to present health care.
  We expect that, once we understand the human makeup, we will be able 
to do much more for prevention of diseases, and diseases that have 
plagued us over the centuries will be no more.
  Unfortunately, there is a downside to this wonderful scientific 
venture, and that is the issue of health insurance. Discrimination is 
already taking place against people who are afraid to find out what 
their genetic makeup is for fear that it would cause them to lose their 
health insurance or that the rates and conditions would change to such 
an extent that they could no longer afford it.
  We have a bill, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 306, which has good bipartisan 
support in the House by 220 sponsors at this time, more than enough to 
pass. I would like very much to see this come to the floor on the 
suspension calendar, on which I am sure it would pass, simply to give 
the peace of mind to every American

[[Page H3829]]

that the genetic makeup with which they were born would not cause them 
to lose their health insurance.
  It is important for us to make sure that people understand we are not 
talking about a different population, we are talking about us. Each one 
of us is believed to be born with between five and 30 faulty genes. And 
it is the rankest form of discrimination to deny health insurance on 
genetic grounds, because simply having a faulty gene does not ensure 
that they will get the condition and, if they did, it might be 40 years 
down the road. That discrimination is already taking place, Mr. 
Speaker.
  I want to urge this House to take up as expeditiously as possible 
H.R. 306 so that we can assure Americans that their health insurance 
will be kept intact.

                          ____________________