Bills and amendments

Well, August recess is almost over and Congress will soon be back in session. The list of items to be discussed is long.

If the Senate decides to debate the various stem cell options, the possible choices for action are many and varied. Here are some of the issues that are already proposed or might be considered as bills and/or amendments:

• Change restrictions on federal funding--currently, research involving embryonic stem cell lines can use federal funding only if the cell lines were developed before August, 2001.
• Encourage one or more categories of stem cell research, eg, adult cells, umbilical cord cells, "fused" cells (Harvard experiments), nuclear transfer 
• Prohibit specific categories of stem cell research, eg, embryonic
• Prohibit specific procedures used to derive stem cells, eg "therapeutic cloning"

The proposals and decisions will certainly involve all of the following influences:

• Political
• Religious
• Scientific
• People (and their families) with diseases that might be "cured" by stem cell therapy
• Economics

And, remember that getting a bill and amendments through the Senate is only one step in the process. H.B. 810, the bill releasing the federal funding restrictions and considered the bill most likely to be the focus of debate, has been passed by the House, so a quick approval of that bill, without amendment, could go on to the President--who has promised to veto it. Any changes in that bill or others means more debate.  

Earlier blog entries describe each of the existing bills. Check those blog entries for more details.

Marie Godfrey, PhD  <!--break-->