mr. speaker , i rise in strong support of h.r. 810 . 
our research policies should be decided by scientists and doctors at the national institutes of health and not by karl rove and self-appointed religious gurus . 
if you believe it is morally superior to discard a single cell in a freezer rather than to use it to help millions of americans with parkinson 's , alzheimer 's , and diabetes , and you are asked to donate an embryo , then by all means refuse to do so . 
but do not tell my constituents that we can not alleviate their suffering because it might offend modern-day pharisees . 
do not tell my constituent don reed and his son roman , who is paralyzed from a high school football accident , that scientists working on stem cell research in california will not be able to collaborate with the nih . 
many in government already think they have the right to tell you whom you can marry , what kind of birth control you can use and how you die . 
now they think their moral superiority extends to the single cell level . 
beyond my outrage at this arrogance , i am saddened by this country 's precipitous decline in the estimation of the rest of the world . 
if this bill does not pass and scientists of the world meet to discuss this rapidly advancing field , many of our key researchers will be stuck here working with the few stem cell lines that are considered inoffensive . 
the flat earth society will tell you that the u.s. has to show moral leadership , and just because the overwhelming majority of the world 's scientific community supports research , it does not mean it is the right thing to do . 
frankly , mr. speaker , i do not need a lecture from the majority leader on moral and ethical leadership . 
i do not look to those that will not acknowledge the existence of global warming for scientific and ethical leadership . 
i do not think the politicians who so eagerly decided they knew what was best for terry schiavo know much about life , dignity , or suffering . 
i stand proudly with millions of americans on behalf of this country 's tradition of scientific leadership , and i urge a `` yes '' vote for h.r. 810 . 
