mr. speaker , i am proud to be a cosponsor of h.r. 810 , and i rise in strong support of this critical legislation .  my colleagues , what an extraordinary moment we have before us .  embryonic stem cells have the potential not just to treat some of the most devastating diseases and conditions , but to actually cure them .  at issue here is the fundamental value of saving lives , a value that we all share regardless of race , culture or religion .  but this promise exists only if researchers have access to the science that holds the most potential , and are free to explore , with appropriate ethical guidelines , medical advances never before imagined possible .  i also sit on the committee that funds the national institutes of health with the gentleman from florida ( mr. weldon )  .  i am not a scientist , i am not a doctor .  but as i sit on that committee and we hear the testimony , one after another , of people who are suffering , who have lost their loved ones , who are on the verge of losing another loved one , look at the 200 major groups who are supporting this legislation .  and let us listen to them .  i am proud to be a cosponsor of h.r. 810 , and i rise in strong support of this critical legislation .  my colleagues , what an extraordinary moment we have before us .  embryonic stem cells have the potential not just to treat some of the most devastating diseases and conditions , but to actually cure them .  at issue here is the fundamental value of saving lives -- a value that we all share regardless of race , culture , or religion .  but this promise exists only if researchers have access to the science that holds the most potential , and are free to explore -- with appropriate ethical guidelines -- medical advances never before imagined possible .  there is no question that scientific advancement often comes with moral uncertainties .  we should and have ensured that difficult ethical and social questions are examined and debated before passing this legislation .  in my judgment we now have a moral obligation to pursue each opportunity and provide crucial funding , support and oversight for this critical research .  like many of you , i believe that strong guidelines must be in place with vigorous oversight from the nih and congress before allowing federally-funded embryonic stem cell research .  with appropriate guidelines we can ensure that the research with the most promise for medical achievement can be fully realized .  while adult stem cells have yielded important discoveries , the evidence from scientists themselves suggests they do n't have the same potential as embryonic stem cells .  the legislation before us today would strengthen the standards guiding embryonic stem cell research and would ensure that embryos originally created for the purpose of in vitro fertilization could be made available for research only with the consent of the donor .  let me be clear .  this legislation retains the current restrictions on creating human embryos for the purpose of research .  so today i ask my colleagues to be as determined to find a cure as science allows us to be .  with the appropriate guidelines in place , we are closer than ever to remarkable discoveries and on the brink of providing hope to millions of individuals who otherwise have none .  i urge my colleagues to vote `` yes '' on h.r. 810 .  