mr. speaker , i rise in support of h.r. 810 , the stem cell research enhancement act , to put science and compassion ahead of ideology and fear .  the promise of embryonic stem cells is that they alone have the potential to develop into any kind of body tissue , including blood , brain , muscle , organ , or nerve tissue .  scientists believe that this unique ability might lead to breakthroughs in a number of illnesses that are now untreatable .  over 100 million americans suffer from diseases and conditions that may one day be treated using stem cell therapies , including alzheimer 's , parkinson 's , juvenile diabetes , lou gehrig 's disease , severe bums , and spinal cord injuries .  for the very reason that we do not yet know what kind of treatments stem cell research will yield , it would be unwise not to explore the possibilities .  as one researcher at harvard medical school and boston 's children 's hospital recently wrote in the new england journal of medicine , `` the science of human embryonic stem cells is in its infancy. '' restricting stem cell research now `` threaten [ s ] to starve the field at a critical stage. '' it 's critical to understand the science of stem cell research to weigh the moral and ethical issues involved .  this bill allows funding of research on stem cells that are harnessed from fertility clinics .  in vitro fertilization is a technology that has allowed millions of couples to share in the joy of childbirth .  it results in the creation of embryos that are never implanted into the womb , never grow to be more than a handful of cells , and would otherwise be discarded .  harnessing stem cells for medical research from fertility clinics is a compassionate , pro-family , and pro-life position .  as one of the world 's foremost centers of medical research , massachusetts has much at stake in the stem cell debate .  not only are our hospitals , research facilities , and institutions of higher learning on the cutting edge of conquering disease , they are also major economic drivers keeping us competitive in the global economy and employing tens of thousands of people .  massachusetts has over 250 biotech firms .  that is more than all of western europe combined .  if we continue the current ban on stem cell research , it does not mean that research will stop elsewhere .  but it would put america -- the world 's most powerful engine of innovation and progress -- on the sidelines .  mr. speaker , america should be leading the world in using our compassion and our scientific knowledge to develop lifesaving therapies .  i urge support for h.r. 810 .  