(Washington D.C.)- U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak) made the following floor statement in support of S. 5, the “Stem Cell Enhancement Act”:

I rise in strong support of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.  We can never guarantee the results of scientific research, but without it we can guarantee that there will be no results.

From juvenile diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s disease to Multiple Sclerosis and cancer, stem cell research has the potential to begin to uncover cures for the diseases that affect our constituents and our families.  In the debate over fixing our broken health care system in America, we cannot afford to ignore the medical breakthroughs in disease management that stem cell research has the potential to uncover.

Some opponents of this legislation argue that the federal government already significantly funds stem cell research or that private entities will step in to take up the slack.  The reality is that stem cell research is practically at a standstill in this country today.  Of the 78 stem cell lines currently permitted under federally funded research, 57 are contaminated and are thus incapable of producing such breakthroughs.  Research has been stifled under the Administration's stem cell policy.

This morning’s news highlights a recent scientific paper written by scientists that have manipulated an ordinary mouse skin cell into what may be effectively an embryonic stem cell.  More research must be done to see if scientists can coax human skin cells to have the same qualities as embryonic stem cells; however, as advocate Sean Tipton told the Washington Post this morning, “You cannot make good policy one scientific paper at a time.”  The bill before us today encourages further research on isolating and testing non-embryonic cells and at the same time lifts the ban on federal support of embryonic stem cell research.

The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act is a well-crafted, bipartisan approach.  The bill only allows the use of stem cell lines generated from embryos that would otherwise be discarded by fertility clinics.  The legislation contains strict ethical guidelines, including the requirement that embryos can be used only if the donor give their written consent and receive no money or other inducement in exchange.

The President vetoed very similar legislation last year, and there is little doubt that he will veto it again.  The medical research that embryonic stem cell lines offer is crucial for millions of people dealing with incurable and debilitating diseases.  It is an insufficient response for Congress to simply accept the Bush Administration’s intransigence on this issue.  The legislation before us is a bipartisan bill that strong majorities of the House and Senate support.  Further, it is clear that a broad majority of Americans support responsible embryonic stem cell research.  The real question today is whether enough Members of the House now recognize that the current stem cell policy is not working and are willing to vote for a better way forward.  I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this vital legislation. 

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