Senate Bills - 110th Congress

S. 51—A Bill to “Derive Pluripotent Stem Cells Using Techniques that Do Not Knowingly Harm Embryos”

On January 4, 2007, Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) introduced S. 51, a bill to “derive pluripotent stem cells using techniques that do not knowingly harm embryos.” The bill had no cosponsors upon introduction and was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. On January 9, Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) introduced the House companion measure, H.R. 322. The bill had 13 cosponsors upon introduction and was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. That bill would have required NIH to fund research to develop techniques for the isolation and production of pluripotent stem cells, without deriving such cells from human embryos. The bill would also have required the Secretary, in consultation with the NIH Director, to issue guidelines within 90 days of the bill’s enactment that would outline and prioritize such research.

Legislative Update (March 2008): Stem Cell Research