[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 164 (Sunday, December 18, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             STEM CELL THERAPEUTIC AND RESEARCH ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. W. TODD AKIN

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Sunday, December 18, 2005

  Mr. AKIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly support the passage 
of the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005. This bill will 
encourage and support the most promising avenue of stem cell research 
available to us today, and will do so without ending a human life, as 
is required in embryonic stem cell research. Cord blood is one the most 
exciting areas of medical research today and successful treatments have 
been developed for a wide range of diseases, from sickle cell anemia to 
leukemia.
  The promise of medical research using the stem cells found in 
umbilical cords is truly amazing. Stem cells from cord blood have 
already resulted in treatments for at least 67 different human 
afflictions and future research looks immensely promising. Just one 
example of this is the successful treatment of numerous children 
afflicted by Krabbe's Disease. Dozen's of children across the country 
have been saved from an early death by cord blood transplants. This 
legislation will make cord blood more readily available to save lives 
and treat numerous conditions.
  This summer I had the opportunity to visit a leading center of cord 
blood-based stem cell research. The St. Louis Cord Blood Bank at 
Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital is one of the leaders in this 
field and is the second largest cord blood bank in the world. It was 
exciting to see the research being done and hear stories about the 
lives that have been radically altered by successful cord blood 
treatments. I believe that the work being done by the St. Louis Cord 
Blood Bank is just a taste of what can be accomplished in the future.
  While embryonic stem cell research may draw more media attention and 
certainly produces many improbably optimistic promises for the future, 
cord blood stem cells are already producing treatments. Embryonic stem 
cell research requires the death of an innocent embryo, but cord blood 
stem cells are a gift from God that we would be irresponsible to waste. 
Cord blood stem cell research has already resulted in numerous 
successful medical treatments, and I believe that this research has a 
bright future. The support and coordination of cord blood banking and 
research efforts across the country will benefit our citizens in 
numerous ways in the years ahead. I urge my colleagues to support the 
Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005.

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