Stem Cell Politics on Capitol Hill

1
Stem Cell Politics on Capitol Hill

• Congressman Mark Kirk
• 10th Congressional District of Illinois

2
Need for Better Access to Lines

• Originally 78 stem cell derivations that were
  declared eligible for US federal funding
• Now only 22 actually available for distribution
  and study.
• All NIH-approved lines were isolated in contact
  with mouse feeder cells.
• Declared contaminated by FDA for treatment
  purposes.

3
Remain at Forefront of Biomedical Research

• Americans are innovators, explorers, inventors
  and scientists.
• Since 1790 the United States Patent Office has
  granted more than 6 million patents
• Americans invented the light bulb, telegraph,
  telephone, skyscraper, computer, and space shuttle

4
Remain at Forefront of Biomedical Research
Source William Hoffman, MBBNet, University of
Minnesota
5
Remain at Forefront of Biomedical Research

• Countries colored in green represent about 3.4
  billion people, more than half of the worlds
  population.
• Map reflects national stem cell research policy.
• Black dots represent locations of leading genome
  sequencing research centers. The presence of
  Genome Sequencing Centers indicates a high level
  of scientific infrastructure.

6
Remain at Forefront of Biomedical Research

• Permissive policy means public funds available
  for various stem cell derivation techniques.
• Flexible policy means public funds available for
  research on stem cells no longer needed for
  reproduction.

7
Remain at Forefront of Biomedical Research

• As of January 2005, there were 127 Stem Cell
  lines created that were ineligible for U.S.
  federal funding under the Administrations
  current policy.
• Many of these lines were created in South Korea,
  Sweden, Israel, and the United Kingdom.

8
Remain at Forefront of Biomedical Research

• Of the 22 lines that are currently available for
  NIH funding under the current policy, only 10,
  less than half, are from labs in the United
  States. The rest originate in Australia, South
  Korea, Israel, and Sweden.

9
Castle/DeGette Bill

• On May 24, 2005, H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research
  Enhancement Act of 2005 passed the House of
  Representatives by a vote of 238 to 194.
• 50 Republicans voted for this bill
• Massive Whip Operation

10
Castle/DeGette Bill

• Allows federally funded research on stem cells
  that have been derived with the following
  requirements
• Originally created for fertility treatment
  purposes
• In excess of clinical need
• Otherwise discarded
• Written consent provided

11
Chances in the Senate

• Prospects changed when Majority Leader Frist
  changed his position
• Senate rules different from House
• Challenge to prevent amendments such as ban on
  SCNT that could taint the bill

12
Senate Cosponsors (42)

• Sponsor Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)
• Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
• Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)
• Sen. Evan Bayh, (D-IN)
• Sen. Jeff Bingaman, (D-NM)
• Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
• Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
• Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE)
• Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI)
• Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
• Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
• Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN)
• Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT)
• Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
• Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
• Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI)
• Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
• Sen. Tom Harkin, (D-IA)
• Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-U)

• Sen. James Jeffords (I-VT)
• Sen. Tim Johnson, (D-SD)
• Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
• Sen. Kerry, John (D-MA)
• Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI)
• Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
• Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
• Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
• Sen. Carl Levin, (D-MI)
• Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)
• Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
• Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
• Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
• Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
• Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)
• Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)
• Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
• Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY)
• Sen. Gordon Smith R-OR

13
Senate Hard Nos (32)

• Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
• Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK)
• Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
• Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
• Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL)
• Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
• Sen. Ben Nelson (R-NE)
• Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS)
• Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
• Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
• Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL)
• Sen. John Sununu (R-NH)
• Sen. Craig Thomas (WY)
• Sen. John Thune (R-SD)
• Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)
• Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH)

• Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO)
• Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
• Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY)
• Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT)
• Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)
• Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN)
• Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)
• Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID)
• Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)
• Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH)
• Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
• Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
• Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY)
• Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
• Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH)
• Sen. Chuck Hagel, (R-NE)

14
Senate Targets (26)

• Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
• Sen. George Allen (R-VA)
• Sen. Robert Bennett (R-UT)
• Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE)
• Sen. Christopher Bond (R-MO)
• Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)
• Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV)
• Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
• Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS)
• Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND)
• Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)
• Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM)
• Sen. William Frist (R-TN)
• Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

• Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS)
• Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN)
• Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
• Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL)
• Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR)
• Sen. John Rockefeller (D-WV)
• Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO)
• Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD)
• Sen. James Talent (R-MO)
• Sen. John Warner (R-VA)
• Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)