[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15424]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            SENATE PROGRESS

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, we have had a productive week. I don't know 
if I could say an unusually productive week, as we always have good 
weeks, but a very strong week in terms of both the range of issues that 
we have debated on the floor as well as pieces of legislation, 
important pieces of legislation that have passed. The range is quite 
remarkable. As I outlined earlier this morning, we began this week 
studying and talking about and discussing and debating three bills that 
addressed issues that are challenging in that they address the ethical 
concerns surrounding science and the tremendous and remarkable advances 
in science. I have been a beneficiary of this because of my profession 
as a doctor and as a scientist. We all recognize the great power and 
the great potential for science to bring cures, to bring treatment, and 
to bring a better quality of life to people in this country and, 
indeed, around the world. Our challenge is to make sure that as we 
allow that science to advance, not just allow it, we propel it, we push 
it, we do so in a way that is consistent with our moral values and with 
a framework of ethics that we all respect. It is a challenge. It is the 
sort of thing that traditionally legislators have not had to deal a lot 
with it. They would deal with it on a periodic basis.
  Now the reality is, with science moving so fast, we are going to have 
to be accustomed to dealing with these tough issues, struggling with 
them. We all struggle with them. It is easy to vote yes or no at the 
end of the day. But those ``yes'' or ``no'' votes do represent real 
struggles, both internally and as we talk to family and talk to 
friends, and as we talk to scientists. It is clearly something that is 
very powerful in our own lives.
  We moved through confirming four judges--I mentioned that last 
night--the Water Resources Development Act, which we passed under the 
leadership of Chairman Inhofe last night--yesterday afternoon, last 
night--and passing the Voting Rights Act after 41 years of real 
success. Then we went on this child custody protection bill which has 
to do with parental consent, with people taking minors across the 
border, without their parents' consent, for an abortion. That is a very 
important issue. That comes on the heels of an issue we passed last 
night, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, which arguably 
could be considered the most comprehensive child crime protection bill 
that we passed in a generation. So it is quite remarkable as well.

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