[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6751]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                 LIFTING THE BAN ON STEM CELL RESEARCH

  (Mr. YARMUTH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud President Obama's 
executive order lifting the ban on Federal funding of embryonic stem 
cell research.
  I join scientists across the country, especially researchers at the 
University of Louisville, who are excited about the opportunities that 
expanded research presents.
  But as we all know, there is another dimension to this issue, and it 
involves moral questions about the use of discarded embryos for 
scientific purposes. I fully respect the views of those who raise moral 
objections to embryonic stem cell research; their convictions are just 
as valid and unassailable as the scientific arguments made about the 
potential of stem cell research. On the other side, however, are 
equally valid and, to my mind, unassailable moral arguments that 
support President Obama's decision this week. They are analogous to the 
arguments made in support of organ donation and transplantation. Here, 
human material that has the potential to save life is not being 
squandered.
  Like those who raise moral objections to stem cell research, I would 
have problems with the production of embryos for scientific purposes, 
but to me, the destruction of embryos that can be used to advance 
science in the service of life raises similar moral problems.
  I congratulate President Obama on his action.

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