Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007

STEM CELL RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2007

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Mr. WALBERG. Thank you for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to come before you today and join my distinguished colleagues to address an issue close to my heart. My initial entry into politics came as a member of a right-to-life organization, my home county of Lenawee, Michigan. I am proud to say that during my 16 years in the Michigan House of Representatives, I established a 100 percent pro-life voting record.

As I begin my first term in the U.S. House with the same ardent commitment to the sanctity of life, I want to preface my remarks by saying I wholeheartedly support stem cell research in all cases except one, any form of research that requires the eradication of human life.

The legislation this Congress is considering not only destroys human life and could ultimately lead to human cloning, but also is antiquated. Embryonic stem cell research has seen consistently disappointing and with fruitless results, while nearly every month more studies come out showing that ethical, adult stem cell research continues to flourish.

Just this week my wife and I were heartened to learn about stem cells derived from amniotic fluid and placentas. It is time for Congress to catch up with the remarkable and ethical developments taking place in the scientific community.

In truth, this debate isn't really even about the science of stem cell research, but rather how such research will be financed. Taxpayers should not be expected to fund this research, especially when it continues to be illegal in the private sector, though unsuccessful to date.

On behalf of the men and women in my district and across the pro-life districts of the country, I urge my colleagues to cast a vote for both the sanctity of life and fiscal responsibility.

This vote was made even more personal and poignant to me this past Sunday when I read an article talking about a couple who will be giving birth to a child this next week as a result of having an embryo saved 2 weeks after Katrina hit, where literally National Guard troops, the Governor of Louisiana, troops from Illinois as well, moved literally hell and high water to save not only this couple's embryo, but 1,400 other embryos.

The question comes, if we are going to talk about discarded embryos, or those not wanted, which ones of those 1,400 that were saved as a result of moving hell and high water by our government would be the ones that we would discard?

Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to support life and to support good science and vote against this proposal.

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