mr. speaker , i rise in support of h.r. 810 , the stem cell research enhancement act . 
scientific and biomedical research and innovation has made our nation and our world a safer and healthier place . 
advances in medicine have made virtually obsolete killer diseases like smallpox and polio , have increased life expectancy and improved the quality of life for people around the globe . 
from roman times around 2000 years ago to 1900 life expectancy increased from 25 to 47 years of age . 
however , because of important discoveries and advances in medicine and medical treatments , by the year 2000 life expectancy had increased to over 76 years of age . 
the advances in medicine that resulted in this dramatic increase in life expectancy did not happen by accident . 
they occurred as a result of visionary leadership in both the public and private sectors . 
they occurred as a result of political will and public capital . 
they occurred because of the private sector 's ability to convert government funded basic research into life-saving applications . 
government funded basic research has and continues to serve as the foundation for the medical advances that have improved the health and quality of life for millions of people . 
while the advances we have made in medicine in the last century have been both impressive and historic , we have a long way to go . 
far too many people in our society suffer from debilitating diseases like parkinson 's , alzheimer 's and diabetes for which there are no cures . 
the scientific community overwhelmingly believes that embryonic stem cell research holds the potential for medical advances and therapies that could make these and other diseases as obsolete as polio and small pox , and the national institutes of health have proposed an ethically sound policy to further this research . 
i support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research because without it we run the risk of missing an historic opportunity to improve the lives of millions of i understand that many of the opponents of this legislation have moral qualms about using embryos for research . 
but the embryos covered under this legislation would otherwise be discarded , so defeat of this legislation would do nothing to assuage moral difficulties surrounding destruction of embryos . 
and defeat of this legislation would deny innocent victims of terrible diseases the opportunity of relief from their suffering and healing of their afflictions . 
i support funding for this research because of the bright promise it holds to make life better and more productive for generations to come . 
our north carolina values guide us to expand scientific and medical knowledge to enhance the health and well being of our families , neighbors and fellow citizens , and this research is key to that effort . 
