lorrainne and list,
I have similar questions about what we should be advocating for and hope
someone with more knowlege can answer. There hasn't been much activity on
the existing bills -- it seems Congress is also waiting for Bush's
announcement before taking a stand.
The current bills are:
 -- maloney's h con.res 17  only conveys the sense of Congress - it
doesn't carry the force of law. But it just got 2 new cosponsors - Wu and
Moran bringing the total to 61.

Bill Summary & Status for the 107th Congress
h.CON.RES.17
Sponsor: Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. (introduced 1/30/2001)
Latest Major Action: 2/14/2001 Referred to House subcommittee
Title: Expressing the sense of the Congress supporting Federal funding of
pluripotent stem cell research.

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Spector and Harkins bill is S.723 -- which would change the public health
law to allow embroyonic stem cell research and generation, derived only
from embryos that have been donated from in-vitro fertilization clinics
in compliance with the  stated guidelines -- see text below:
It currently has 16 co-sponsors -- the last one signed on May 21.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Rep. McDermott introduced HR 2059 in ithe House on June 5th. It appears
to be the same as S.723. It has 10 cosponsors
See text below:
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Rep. Smith's bill H.R.2096 (introduced 6/7/2001) --
Title: To provide for a National Stem Cell Donor Bank regarding
qualifying human stem cells, and for the conduct and support of research
using such cells.
It has 52 co-sponsors.

The key term is "qualifying" which is defined as:
" QUALIFYING HUMAN STEM CELLS- For purposes of this Act, the term
`qualifying human stem cells' means human stem cells obtained from human
placentas, umbilical cord  blood, organs or tissues of a living or
deceased human being who has been born, or organs or   tissues of unborn
human offspring who died of natural causes (such as spontaneous
abortion)."

--it isn't clear to me if this would just fund the limited research as
stated above or if it would also ban funding of embryonic stem cell
research.

The texts of the 3 bills follows:
Any other information or interpretations?
Linda Herman
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Stem Cell Research Act of 2001 (Introduced in the Senate)
S 723 IS

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic
stem cell generation and research.
                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
                                April 5, 2001

referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
     This Act may be cited as the `Stem Cell Research Act of 2001'.
SEC. 2. HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELL GENERATION AND
RESEARCH.
     Part H of the Title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
289 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 498B the following:
`SEC. 498C. HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELL GENERATION AND
RESEARCH.
     `(a) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary may only  conduct, support, or fund research on human embryos
for the purpose of generating  embryonic stem cells and utilizing stem
cells that have been derived from embryos in accordance with this
section.
     `(b) SOURCES OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS- For purposes of carrying out
research under subsection (a), the human embryonic stem cells involved
shall be derived only from embryos that have been donated from in-vitro
fertilization clinics after compliance with the  following:
         `(1) Prior to the consideration of embryo donation and through
consultation with the  progenitors, it is determined that the embryos
will never be implanted in a woman and  would otherwise be discarded.
          `(2) The embryos are donated with the written informed consent
of the progenitors.
     `(c) RESTRICTIONS-
          `(1) IN GENERAL- The following restriction shall apply with
respect to human embryonic stem cell research conducted or supported
under subsection (a):
               `(A) The research involved shall not result in the
creation of human embryos.
               `(B) The research involved shall not result in the
reproductive cloning of a human  being.
          `(2) PROHIBITION-

               `(A) IN GENERAL- It shall be unlawful for any person
receiving Federal funds  to knowingly acquire, receive, or otherwise
transfer any human embryos for
valuable consideration if the acquisition, receipt, or transfer affects
interstate
commerce.
               `(B) DEFINITION- In subparagraph (A), the term `valuable
consideration' does not include reasonable payments associated with
transportation, transplantation,  processing, preservation, quality
control, or storage.
     `(d) GUIDELINES- The Secretary, in conjunction with the Director of
the National Institutes
     of Health, shall issue guidelines that expand on the rules governing
human embryonic stem cell research (as in effect on the date of enactment
of this section) to include rules that govern the  derivation of stem
cells from donated embryos under this section.

     `(e) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.- The Secretary shall annually prepare
and submit to  the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing
the activities carried out under this  section during the preceding
fiscal year, and including a description of whether and to what  extent
research under subsection (a) has been conducted in accordance with this
section.'.
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-

Stem Cell Research Act of 2001 (Introduced in the House)
HR 2059 IH
 To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic
stem cell generation and research.
                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                June 5, 2001
Mr. MCDERMOTT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
                                   A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic
stem cell generation and research.
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of  America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
     This Act may be cited as the `Stem Cell Research Act of 2001'.
SEC. 2. HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELL GENERATION AND
RESEARCH.
     Part H of the Title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
289 et seq.) is amended by  inserting after section 498B the following:
`SEC. 498C. HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELL GENERATION AND
RESEARCH.
     `(a) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary may only  conduct, support, or fund research on human embryos
for the purpose of generating  embryonic stem cells and utilizing stem
cells that have been derived from embryos in accordance with this
section.
     `(b) SOURCES OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS- For purposes of carrying out
research under subsection (a), the human embryonic stem cells involved
shall be derived only from embryos that have been donated from in-vitro
fertilization clinics after compliance with the following:

          `(1) Prior to the consideration of embryo donation and through
consultation with the  progenitors, it is determined that the embryos
will never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded.
          `(2) The embryos are donated with the written informed consent
of the progenitors.
     `(c) RESTRICTIONS-
          `(1) IN GENERAL- The following restriction shall apply with
respect to human embryonic stem cell research conducted or supported
under subsection (a):
(A) The research involved shall not result in the creation of human
embryos.
`(B) The research involved shall not result in the reproductive cloning
of a human
 being.
(2) PROHIBITION-
`(A) IN GENERAL- It shall be unlawful for any person receiving Federal
funds  to knowingly acquire, receive, or otherwise transfer any human
embryos for
 valuable consideration if the acquisition, receipt, or transfer affects
interstate
 commerce.
 `(B) DEFINITION- In subparagraph (A), the term `valuable consideration'
does
 not include reasonable payments associated with transportation,
transplantation,
processing, preservation, quality control, or storage.

     `(d) GUIDELINES- The Secretary, in conjunction with the Director of
the National Institutes   of Health, shall issue guidelines that expand
on the rules governing human embryonic stem cell  research (as in effect
on the date of enactment of this section) to include rules that govern
the  derivation of stem cells from donated embryos under this section.

     `(e) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS- The Secretary shall annually prepare
and submit to  the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing
the activities carried out under this section during the preceding fiscal
year, and including a description of whether and to what extent research
under subsection (a) has been conducted in accordance with this
section.'.
H.R.2059
Sponsor: Rep McDermott, Jim (introduced 6/5/2001)
Latest Major Action: 6/5/2001 Referred to House committee
COSPONSORS(10), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]:
(Sort: by date)

 Rep DeFazio, Peter A. - 6/12/2001
Rep Evans, Lane - 6/12/2001
 Rep Filner, Bob - 6/12/2001
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. - 6/12/2001
 Rep Honda, Michael M. - 6/12/2001
Rep Miller, George - 6/12/2001
 Rep Napolitano, Grace F. - 6/12/2001
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. - 6/12/2001
 Rep Thurman, Karen L. - 6/12/2001
Rep Tierney, John F. - 6/12/2001

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------------------
H.R.2096
Sponsor: Rep Smith, Christopher H. (introduced 6/7/2001)
Latest Major Action: 6/7/2001 Referred to House committee
Title: To provide for a National Stem Cell Donor Bank regarding
qualifying human stem cells, and for the conduct and support of research
using such cells.
Responsible Stem Cell Research Act of 2001 (Introduced in the House)
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
                                   A BILL
To provide for a National Stem Cell Donor Bank regarding qualifying human
stem cells, and for the conduct and support of research using such cells.

     Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of  America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
     This Act may be cited as the `Responsible Stem Cell Research Act of
2001'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
     The Congress finds as follows:
          (1) Past investments in biomedical research have resulted in
better health, an improved quality of life for all Americans, and a
reduction in national health care expenditures.
          (2) The Nation's commitment to biomedical research has expanded
the base of scientific knowledge about health and disease and
revolutionized the practice of  medicine.
          (3) Research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health is
responsible for the identification of genetic mutations relating to
nearly 100 diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis,
Huntington's disease, osteoporosis, many forms of cancer, and immune
deficiency disorders.
          (4) Many Americans still face serious and life-threatening
health problems, both acute and chronic.
          (5) Neurodegenerative diseases of the elderly, such as
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's  disease, threaten to destroy the lives of
millions of Americans.
          (6) Cancer remains a comprehensive threat to any tissue or
organ of the body at any age, and remains a leading cause of morbidity
and mortality.
          (7) The extent of psychiatric and neurological diseases poses
considerable challenges in understanding the workings of the brain and
nervous system.
        (8) Diabetes, both insulin and noninsulin forms, afflicts 16
million Americans and places them at risk for acute and chronic
complications, including blindness, kidney failure, atherosclerosis, and
nerve degeneration.
          (9) Recent scientific developments show that human stem cell
research based on ethically responsible stem cell sources may lead to
exponential improvements in the treatment of many terminal and
debilitating conditions, from cancer to Parkinson's to Alzheimer's to
diabetes to heart disease.
          (10) To take full advantage of the tremendous potential for
finding a cure or effective treatment for many debilitating diseases, the
Federal investment in ethical stem cell research must be expanded.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL STEM CELL DONOR BANK.

     (a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall by
contract establish and maintain a National Stem Cell Donor Bank (in this
section referred to as the `Donor Bank'). The purpose of the Donor Bank
shall be to seek and preserve donations of qualifying human stem cells
and to make such donated cells available for biomedical research and for
therapeutic purposes.

     (b) QUALIFYING HUMAN STEM CELLS- For purposes of this Act, the term
`qualifying   human stem cells' means human stem cells obtained from
human placentas, umbilical cord  blood, organs or tissues of a living or
deceased human being who has been born, or organs or   tissues of unborn
human offspring who died of natural causes (such as spontaneous
abortion).

     (c) ADMINISTRATION OF DONOR BANK- The Donor Bank shall be under the
general supervision of the Secretary, and under the direction of a board
of directors meeting such criteria as the Secretary may establish.

     (d) PATIENT REGISTRY- The Donor Bank shall with respect to
qualifying human stem cells--
          (1) operate a registry of patients who are transplant
candidates;
          (2) establish a system for finding donors who are unrelated to
the candidate patients and are suitably matched to the patients; and
          (3) carry out informational and educational activities.

     (e) CRITERIA- The Secretary shall establish criteria for the Donor
Bank and other entities  that participate in the program under this
section, including--
          (1) quality standards and standards for tissue typing and
obtaining the informed consent of donors, or the parents or legal
representatives of donors as appropriate;
          (2) donor selection criteria, based on established medical
criteria, to protect both donors and transplant recipients and to prevent
the transmission of potentially harmful infectious diseases;
          (3) procedures to ensure the proper collection and
transportation of qualifying human stem cells; and
        (4) standards that--
               (A) require the establishment of a system of strict
confidentiality of records relating to the identity and address of and
medical information on patients and donors; and
              (B) prescribe the purposes for which the records described
in subparagraph (A)
               may be disclosed, and the circumstances and extent of the
disclosure.

     (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- For the purpose of carrying out
this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary for each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2006.

SEC. 4. USE OF QUALIFYING HUMAN STEM CELLS IN RESEARCH
CONDUCTED OR SUPPORTED BY NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF
HEALTH.
     (a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary, acting through the Director of the
National Institutes of Health, may conduct and support research that uses
qualifying human stem cells.

     (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- For the purpose of carrying out
     subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000
for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the
fiscal years 2003 through 2006.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
     For purposes of this Act:
          (1) The term `qualifying human stem cells' has the meaning
given such term in section 3.
          (2) The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Health and
Human Services.

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