[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 26, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H3597-H3598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      ASKING CONGRESS TO HELP STOP JUVENILE DIABETES IN ITS TRACKS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sandlin) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the Congress to help a 
young friend of mine, Anna Kate Gunn. I am also asking the Congress to 
help over 1 million other young children in this country who, like Anna 
Kate, suffer from the disease of juvenile diabetes.
  I hold in my hand a book of children from all over this country, all 
races, all creeds, all colors, all languages, faces of hope, faces that 
are looking to us to try to do the right thing, faces of other children 
with juvenile diabetes. Our country is too strong, it is too great, it 
is too powerful, and it is too rich not to help our children by 
stopping juvenile diabetes in its tracks right now.
  Mr. Speaker, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation just concluded 
its 2001 Children's Congress here in Washington. This year, 200 
delegates representing all 50 States gathered to meet with policymakers 
to ask our support as we make decisions about legislation that will 
impact funding for diabetes research. Diabetes is a chronic 
debilitating disease that affects every organ system in the body. Type 
1 diabetes or juvenile diabetes lasts a lifetime.
  Those who are stricken with this disease must take insulin just to 
live. However, insulin does not cure diabetes or prevent the 
possibility of its eventual devastating affects. Those affects include 
kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, amputation, heart attack, 
stroke.
  More than 1 million Americans have juvenile diabetes. A new case of 
juvenile diabetes is diagnosed every single hour in this country. 
Diabetes shortens the life expectancy of these children by 15 years. It 
is the single most costly chronic disease. It totals more than $105 
billion of annual health care spending in the United States of America.
  Anna Kate Gunn, my young friend from Texas, came by the office today 
with her parents and her grandfather, Gene Stallings, a well-known 
sports hero, former coach of the Texas Cowboys, of Texas A&M, of 
Alabama, of St. Louis.
  Anna Kate was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes when she was 11 months 
old. Now, at age 3, she endures three insulin injections a day and 8 to 
10 finger pricks a day to check her blood sugar level. Without a cure 
for juvenile diabetes, Anna Kate will have to live with these 
injections, with these finger pricks for the rest of her life.
  One of the funding decisions we make in Congress will be a part that 
involves stem cell research, a critical part of research in this area. 
This breakthrough research holds great promise in the cure and 
treatment of many diseases afflicting Americans and many disabilities 
including juvenile diabetes.
  There are three sources of stem cells, embryonic, fetal, and adult 
stem cells. Each of these types of cells is very different from the 
others and all are needed to advance research.
  Specifically, embryonic stem cell research offers hope to the more 
than 1 million American children like Anna Kate who suffer from 
juvenile diabetes. These cells have the potential to become insulin 
producing cells because of their unique potential to differentiate into 
any human type of cell. It is necessary for researchers to understand 
how embryonic stem cells work before they can get the full affect of 
the adult stem cell research.
  Federal support for embryonic stem cell research is essential to the 
work that scientists are doing to create therapies for a range of 
serious and currently intractable diseases. By impeding embryonic stem 
cell research, we risk unnecessary delay for millions of patients, 
millions of children across this country who may die or endure needless 
suffering while the effectiveness of adult stem cells is evaluated.
  Certainly, there are legitimate ethical concerns and issues raised by 
this research. However, it is important to understand that the cells 
being used in this research were destined to be discarded. The cells 
used are destined to

[[Page H3598]]

be discarded. They are destined to be discarded. Under these 
circumstances, it would be tragic to waste this opportunity to pursue 
the work that could potentially alleviate human suffering especially in 
our children.
  For the past 35 years, many of the common human virus vaccines have 
been produced in cells derived from the human fetus to the benefit of 
tens of millions of Americans. Clearly, there is a precedent for the 
use of fetal tissue that would otherwise be discarded. This is not a 
political issue. It is an issue of human responsibility. It is an issue 
of human decency. It is an issue of doing what is right by our children 
in this country.
  Furthermore, the American public overwhelmingly supports this 
research. In a poll conducted earlier this year, 65 percent of those 
surveyed said they support Federal funding stem cell research. It is 
the right thing to do.
  Stem cell research is still in the early stages. In order to receive 
the full benefits of the research, there must be additional study. 
Federal funding of this research ensures public oversight and 
accountability among researchers receiving Federal grants. These 
researchers will be required to adhere to strict guidelines that do not 
govern private research. Further, Federal funding will allow many 
scientists to expand the research in this critical area, thus hastening 
the discovery of therapies.
  Mr. Speaker, we fund many worthwhile projects in the United States 
Congress. Surely, we can advance funds to save the lives of our 
children in this country.
  Putting an end to public support of this research would have a 
devastating effect on the future of research in numerous diseases. 
Congress and the administration should allow this important research to 
continue, if not for the sake of science, for the sake of Anna Kate and 
children all across this country that are similarly situated.
  Please remember those faces looking at us, faces looking at us in 
trust and in hope. We cannot let them down. Mr. Speaker, let us do the 
right thing by America's children.

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