Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008

GENETIC INFORMATION NONDISCRIMINATION ACT OF 2008 -- (House of Representatives - May 01, 2008)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.

The scientific advancement that has been made in sequencing the human genome is groundbreaking. We have only just begun to understand how we can harness the vast amount of information that is included in our genetic code to benefit human health and longevity. The ability to predict disease will greatly increase our opportunities for early treatment and prevention efforts and this can have a real impact on people's lives.

So I am proud to support the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. This bill will provide strong protections to prevent employers and insurers from denying health coverage or job opportunities on the basis of predictive genetic information. Providing this protection will ensure that Americans are not unfairly penalized, either by health insurers or by employers, for something that is a part of their genetic makeup. In addition, these protections will encourage individuals to participate in genetic research, which will lead to new technologies and new therapies.

This important nondiscrimination protection is necessitated by the advancements in science, like the mapping of the human genome. And Congress is responsible for making sure that our laws keep up with these scientific advancements, so that we can fully realize the value of these discoveries.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support the Genetic Nondiscrimination Act, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of it.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source