Reps. David Law, LaJoy, Nofs, Nitz, Stahl, Agema, Sheen, Pearce, Schuitmaker, Gaffney, Opsommer, Palsrok, Emmons, Caswell, Brandenburg, Calley, Palmer, Hoogendyk, Moore, Pastor, Shaffer, Caul, Booher, Green, Moolenaar, Rocca, Rick Jones, Huizenga, Knollenberg, Meekhof, Casperson, Robertson, Meltzer, Horn, Hansen, Spade, Sheltrown, Lahti, Espinoza, Constan, Sak and Steil offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 237.

            A resolution to memorialize the President and the Congress of the United States to promote and fund induced pluripotent stem cell research and maintain funding prohibitions on research that destroys human embyros.

            Whereas, Stem cells have the potential to treat and cure many debilitating and heretofore incurable diseases. These prolific, adaptable, and enduring cells might someday be able to liberate paralyzed people from wheel chairs and free diabetics from insulin pumps and finger pricks. Stem cells are exciting tools that scientists can use to study the causes and treatments of many complex diseases and injuries; and

            Whereas, There are two basic types of stem cells: embryonic and adult. Embryonic stem cells are unique because they are pluripotent and can turn into any type of human cell in the body. However, there are serious moral and ethical questions associated with the use of embryonic stem cells, since harvesting them requires the destruction of live human embryos. Alternatively, using adult stem cells is not morally questionable, since their harvest does not harm an embryo; and

            Whereas, Groundbreaking new research is turning the stem cell research field on its head. Stem cell pioneer James Thompson, one of the first to harvest human embryonic stem cells, is the leader of one of two independent research teams that have found a way to create pluripotent adult stem cells. Thompson and a research group from Japan were able to induce pluripotentcy in skin cells simply by adding four new genes; and

            Whereas, Induced pluripotent stem cell research can dramatically reshape the stem cell debate. Induced pluriopotent adult stem cells could offer the same disease-treating potential as embryonic stem cells, but without sacrificing embryos. Using induced pluripotent adult stem cells scientists may be able to create patient specific treatments for diabetes, Parkinson's disease, or spinal cord injury. Never before have scientists and ethicists been more in agreement about the promise and morality of a stem cell discovery. Induced pluripotent stem cell research has the potential to treat devastating diseases and injuries and unite all sides of the stem cell debate. Clearly, we must do everything we can to facilitate and advance this important potentially lifesaving research; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the President and the Congress of the United States to promote and fund induced pluripotent stem cell research and maintain funding prohibitions on research that destroys human embyros; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, and the director of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.