[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 11, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E632]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        PRESIDENT OBAMA'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON STEM CELL RESEARCH

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON KLEIN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 11, 2009

  Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, this Tuesday marked an historic 
day for science and medical research efforts across our country as 
President Obama lifted the ban on federally funded stem cell research 
enacted in 2001. With this executive order, the President has restored 
the federal government's commitment to funding promising medical 
research with the potential to treat and cure some of the most 
debilitating human diseases.
  One of the great promises of stem cells is their potential for use in 
developing new therapies for life altering diseases such as cancer, 
diabetes, and Parkinson's. Stem cell research offers the hope of a 
better life to millions of Americans, and by supporting this research 
we will open the door for groundbreaking discoveries at research 
facilities like Scripps Florida. The President has been clear that stem 
cell research in this country will not be undertaken lightly, and will 
only be conducted in the most responsible, ethical manner possible, 
with strict guidelines to prevent misuse and abuse.
  Funding stem cell research is also a great investment in our future, 
not only from a personal health standpoint but from an economical and 
cost-efficiency perspective. Finding cures and therapies may reduce the 
cost of hospitalization and other expensive components of our health 
care system. By increasing our investment in stem cell research, we can 
also retain and attract some of the best and brightest scientists that 
have, up to now, been stifled by restrictions on which stem cell lines 
they may use for their research. The United States has always been a 
world leader in science and technology, and with this ban lifted, we 
can once again conduct the most cutting-edge research right here in the 
U.S. that will bring the next big breakthroughs in the world of 
medicine.
  From juvenile diabetes to paralysis, the potential of stem cell 
research in all of its forms presents one of humanity's greatest leaps 
toward the ultimate goal of preserving, prolonging and improving the 
quality of our lives. As a strong advocate of this research, I commend 
the President for his commitment to funding comprehensive stem cell 
research in the United States.

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