mr. speaker , as an original cosponsor of h.r. 810 , the stem cell research enhancement act of 2005 , i rise in strong support of this legislation . 
h.r. 810 is essential legislation that will expand opportunities for scientists to treat spinal cord injuries , multiple sclerosis , parkinson 's disease , alzheimer 's disease , diabetes , and other devastating diseases . 
there are ethical concerns over the use of embryonic stem cells in research , and we should not treat stem cells as just another laboratory product . 
we must strongly prohibit unethical practices , such as human cloning . 
and we should not allow embryos to be bought and sold . 
but it is important to recognize that , as part of the process of in vitro fertilization , many embryos are created that are never used and are slated to be destroyed . 
with the stringent moral safeguards established by this legislation , including the required written consent of the donors , i believe we should permit the use of stem cells from these embryos . 
the use of embryos for research that would otherwise be destroyed strikes a responsible balance between the ethical and medical values associated with stem cell research . 
the current state of stem cell research suggests that there is significant progress to be made if we move forward in this area . 
leading scientists have testified that adult stem cells and umbilical cord stem cells do not share the ability of embryonic stem cells to replicate all other cells in the human body . 
if we do n't invest in stem cell research , millions of americans with some of the most debilitating diseases will not be able to avail themselves of the treatments or cures that might result . 
in addition , if we fail to invest federal resources in embryonic stem cell research , the u.s. will lose its competitive advantage in this essential area of science . 
the limited federal support for stem cell research is just one area of science in which the u.s. is falling behind . 
last year china produced 160 , 000 more engineers than we did . 
nearly 40 percent of u.s. jobs in science or technology requiring a ph.d . 
are now filled by people born abroad -- that 's up from 25 percent in 1990 . 
we now rank below 13 other countries -- including japan , germany , and south korea -- in the percentage of 24-year-olds with a college degree in a science or engineering field -- that 's down from third in the world 25 years ago . 
mr. speaker , this legislation will help the u.s. to move forward on our moral imperative to perform stem cell research in an ethically responsible way . 
i urge all of my colleagues to support it . 
