June 6, 1977

Lor i 1 1  b ro wn- Ke z anka
Legislative Aide
State Capitol
iiooiil 5031
Sacrmento, California 95d14

sear 21s. Kezanka:

  I mi sorry that iny scn~dula resulted in a delay in ny response
to you. ~nclssed is a copy or tile tcsti.nony I prepareit for presentation
oeiore tne California AsseaSly Coztmittees on dealti? and Resources,
Land Use and dnersy last January. I'JI sure you realize ttiat til? actus1
tcastisony, as mom in trie transcript, differed from tile prepared
tevtiinony because of pxc:ialiges witti tile Assea~ly ne.nbers.

   pernaps tile inovt pertinent additional informtion I can offer is
to oring y~u up to date on activities in tne Congress. After several
hearings, niultiple bills and draft oi118, new versions have Seen offered
both in tile douse (tiii7418) and Senate (S1217), 'he two bills are not
identical and at present it is difficuit to predict nod si:nilar tney
will be prior to t!ieir being reported out of C~~mittee~ and voted on.
It is apparent that a real sense of urgency exisrs in the Consress
concerning tap need proaptly to enact legislation that uill control
recoabinant DHA rgsearch in 90th the private and puulic sector. rrotn
oilis provide for licensinq procedures for carrying out experiments,
inspection of laboratories, regulations governin.: procrdurPs, and
civi 1 and crininal penalties.

biveii the nat ure of t iie sperul at i ve hazards oE recoaoi nant DilA

researcn and particularly the fact that escaped organisms will not
honor geograpnic boundaries, it is clear that only nation-wide safety
:neasures can provide ttie confidence tnat experisents will be conducted
with ;iinimal or negligible risk for all. I'nerefore, it is aiy Deliat
tnat interested tnesbers of tne California legislature might want to
inform ttie~~selves concerning Congressional efforts and to offer the
iongress their advice on ttiesa 3atters.
will ue well-served by such participation. It is, I wlieve, less

In ray view the whole country

Page 2 - Lorill srom-Kezanka

useful to press for State or local action on tnis nlatter, for the
reasons statpd above as well as tne fact that aultiple regulatory
meclianj 6'uls will be uoth costly and confusing.

Snould you wisn to have additional information please get in

toucn witn me again.

Sincere1 y yours,

idaxine Singer, Ph.13.
i~ead, Nucleic Acid Enzy!nol ogy Sect ion
Laboratory of biochemistry

iinc I oaure