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Whoops! Sorry for slip-up on previous message. The following letter dated June 2 was received from Dr. Arthur Caplan, Director, Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvaia Health System. I realize the House bill # contains a typo. Will be glad to send a copy of this letter to any advocate upon request. Dear Mrs. Gross, I am very distressed by the opposition the Morris K. Udall Research and Education Act, (HR 125, S. 535) has encountered. This is a bill of major importance to those challenged by Parkinson's Disease. I know that with more than 100,000 persons and their families in Pennsylvania and nearby states having to cope with the ravages of this terrible illness that Congress must do everything it can to lighten the burden of this terrible malady. Most distressing to me is the fact that this important legislation appears to have been linked to the question of the use of the fetal tissue for transplantation. I have studied and written about the use of fetal tissue for many years. I am astounded that anyone could arrive at the view that the passage of the Udall Act would in any way encourage or influence research with fetal tissue. Congress has made it clear that it feels it must wrestle separately with the moral issue of using public funding for research using fetal tissue for transplant purposes and this legislation does nothing to change that policy. I wish to lend my full support to the enactment of the Udall Research and Education Act. This bill should not be held hostage to any other matter be it the use of fetal tissue, abortion or anything else. Those afflicted with Parkinsonism and their families deserve better than that from their elected officials. I will try to do everything I can to make this legislation a reality. Arthur Caplan, Ph.D Director, Center for Bioethics Trustee Professor of Bioethics Chief, Division of Bioethics ---------- In an earlier letter Dr. Caplan had written: May 19, 1997 Holding the Udall Research Act hostage to the non-issue of fetal tissue transplant research is morally wrong. I would be happy to help you in any way I can in pushing this bill forward. If you think publicity would help let me know. --------