110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 322
To derive human pluripotent stem cell lines using techniques that
do not harm human embryos.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2007
Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland (for himself, Mr. GINGREY, Mr. WELLER, Mr. CHABOT,
Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky, Mr. LINCOLN DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr.
FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. HUNTER, Mrs. MUSGRAVE, Mr. JONES of North Carolina,
Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, and Mr. GILCHREST) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To derive human pluripotent stem cell lines using techniques that
do not harm human embryos.
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 `Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies
Enhancement Act of 2007'.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
It is the purpose of this Act to--
(1) intensify research that may result in improved understanding of or
treatments for diseases and other adverse health conditions; and
(2) promote the derivation of pluripotent stem cell lines, including from
postnatal sources, without creating human embryos for research purposes
or discarding, destroying, or harming a human embryo or fetus.
SEC. 3. ALTERNATIVE HUMAN PLURIPOTENT STEM CELL RESEARCH.
Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.)
is amended by inserting after section 409I the following:
`SEC. 409J. ALTERNATIVE HUMAN PLURIPOTENT STEM CELL RESEARCH.
`(a) In General- In accordance with section 492, the Secretary shall conduct
and support basic and applied research to develop techniques for the isolation,
derivation, production, or testing of stem cells that, like embryonic stem
cells, are capable of producing all or almost all of the cell types of the
developing body and may result in improved understanding of or treatments
for diseases and other adverse health conditions, but are not derived from
a human embryo.
`(b) Guidelines- Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment
of this section, the Secretary, after consultation with the Director of
the National Institutes of Health, shall issue final guidelines to implement
subsection (a), that--
`(1) provide guidance concerning the next steps required for additional
research, which shall include a determination of the extent to which specific
techniques may require additional basic or animal research to ensure that
any research involving human cells using these techniques would clearly
be consistent with the standards established under this section;
`(2) prioritize research with the greatest potential for near-term clinical
benefit; and
`(3) consistent with subsection (a), take into account techniques outlined
by the President's Council on Bioethics and any other appropriate techniques
and research.
`(c) Reporting Requirements- Not later than January 1 of each year, the
Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of the
Congress a report describing the activities carried out under this section
during the fiscal year, including a description of the research conducted
under this section.
`(d) Rule of Construction- Nothing in this section shall be construed to
affect any policy, guideline, or regulation regarding embryonic stem cell
research, human cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer, or any other research
not specifically authorized by this section.
`(e) Definition- In this section, the term `human embryo' includes any organism,
not protected as a human subject under part 46 of title 45, Code of Federal
Regulations, as of the date of the enactment of the Alternative Pluripotent
Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act of 2007, that is derived by fertilization,
parthenogenesis, cloning, or any other means from one or more human gametes
or human diploid cells
`(f) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2010,
to carry out this section.'.
END
