[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 24, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H3879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           STEM CELL RESEARCH

  (Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks and 
include therein extraneous material.)
  Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 810, the 
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.
  Stem cell research holds the potential to improve the lives of 
millions of Americans suffering from diseases like cancer, heart 
disease, and diabetes. I believe we should do all we can to support 
this research, and it is why I am so frustrated at the Bush 
administration's attempts to stop it.
  NIH said that U.S. scientists are falling behind because of the Bush 
2001 limitations on stem cell research. Elizabeth Nable of the National 
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute said, ``Because U.S. researchers who 
depend on Federal funds lack access to newer human embryonic stem cell 
lines, they are at a technological disadvantage relative to researchers 
funded by California, as well as investigators in Asia and Europe.
  My home State of California has already moved ahead of the Federal 
Government by establishing the Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 
which will devote $3 billion to embryonic stem cell research over the 
next 10 years.
  This bill is a modest proposal compared to California's, but it is 
still an important step; and that is why it is supported by all the 
major educational research institutions in California.
  I include their letter of support in the Record. Let us not drive 
this research overseas.

                                                     May 19, 2005.
     Hon. Zoe Lofgren,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Lofgren: We are writing to express our 
     support for changing federal policy on human embryonic stem 
     cell research to allow an expansion in available cell lines. 
     As you probably know, a vote on legislation that would alter 
     current policy is expected in the coming weeks, and we urge 
     your `'Yes'' vote.
       Embryonic stem cells hold the potential for new cures and 
     therapies for an array of life-threatening diseases affecting 
     millions of Americans across the nation. This potential will 
     be enhanced by the bipartisan Stem Cell Research Enhancement 
     Act (H.R. 810), introduced by Representatives Michael Castle 
     (R-DE) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) and co-sponsored by more than 
     200 members of the House of Representatives.
       The Castle-DeGette bill would expand current policy to 
     allow federal funding for research with stem cell lines 
     discovered after the mandated August 9, 2001, cut-off date as 
     well as lines derived in the future. With regard to future 
     stem cell lines, the bill applies only to lines derived from 
     days-old blastocysts that otherwise would be discarded from 
     in vitro fertilization clinics, but that instead are 
     voluntarily donated to research by consenting individuals, 
     without compensation. Further, this legislation would ensure 
     the development of ethical guidelines for research with 
     embryonic stem cell lines.
       California has moved ahead by establishing the Institute 
     for Regenerative Medicine, which will devote $3 billion to 
     embryonic stem cell research over the next ten years. The 
     provisions within H.R. 810 are more restrictive than those of 
     the California Initiative; however, H.R. 810 is crucial 
     because it will make a significant difference to nationwide 
     federal research programs. This expansion in policy will 
     further facilitate and accelerate the research conducted in 
     our state.
       When the current federal embryonic stem cell research 
     policy went into effect in 2001, the notion was that 78 cell 
     lines would be available for research. Currently, only 22 are 
     actually available to researchers; many others have been 
     found unsuitable. Furthermore, a number of the available 
     lines are entangled with commercial interests making the 
     cells too expensive or impossible for NIH-funded 
     investigators to obtain. For these reasons, the existing 
     embryonic stem cell lines do not provide a sufficient supply 
     to advance the research to its full potential.
       Embryonic stem cells offer the potential to reverse 
     diseases and disabilities experienced by millions of 
     Americans. Stem cell research is still very new. Thus, we 
     have a collective responsibility--scientists, university 
     leaders, and government leaders--to support the exploration 
     of the promising possibilities of both embryonic and adult 
     stem cell research for curing and preventing disease.
       Please support scientific advancement and the possibility 
     of new cures by voting ``Yes'' on H.R. 810 to expand federal 
     stem cell research policy.
           Sincerely,
     Robert C. Dynes,
       President, University of California.
     Steven B. Sample,
       President, University of Southern California.
     David Baltimore,
       President, California Institute of Technology.
     John L. Hennessy,
       President, Stanford University.

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