Jane Harman: “I rise today to urge strong support in Congress and the administration for a vital field of medical research. Federal…”

“I rise today to urge strong support in Congress and the administration for a vital field of medical research. Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research should not be caught up in the abortion debate. As many antichoice proponents have courageously noted, stem cell research is pro-life. It will save lives, not take them. Let me review what we know about stem cell research. First, research using embryonic stem cells is helping us understand and treat not just Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, and Alzheimer's, but possibly heart disease, arthritis and cancer. Second, stem cell research is going on today and should be subject to Federal guidelines. Research of the type described in the lead story in today's Washington Post is not permitted under NIH's ethical standards. Third, adult stem cells are not able to develop into as many kinds of tissue as embryonic cells. Fourth, the embryos used in stem cell research would otherwise be destroyed by fertility clinics. Mr. Speaker, if the embryos used in this research are simply discarded, we discard with them the hope of patients across the country and the promise of a new generation of medical cures.”