article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Responsible Stem Cell Research Act of 2001''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds as follows: (1) Past investments in biomedical research have resulted in better health, an improved quality of life for all Americans, and a reduction in national health care expenditures. (2) The Nation's commitment to biomedical research has expanded the base of scientific knowledge about health and disease and revolutionized the practice of medicine. (3) Research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health is responsible for the identification of genetic mutations relating to nearly 100 diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, osteoporosis, many forms of cancer, and immune deficiency disorders. (4) Many Americans still face serious and life-threatening health problems, both acute and chronic. (5) Neurodegenerative diseases of the elderly, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, threaten to destroy the lives of millions of Americans. (6) Cancer remains a comprehensive threat to any tissue or organ of the body at any age, and remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. (7) The extent of psychiatric and neurological diseases poses considerable challenges in understanding the workings of the brain and nervous system. (8) Diabetes, both insulin and noninsulin forms, afflicts 16 million Americans and places them at risk for acute and chronic complications, including blindness, kidney failure, atherosclerosis, and nerve degeneration. (9) Recent scientific developments show that human stem cell research based on ethically responsible stem cell sources may lead to exponential improvements in the treatment of many terminal and debilitating conditions, from cancer to Parkinson's to Alzheimer's to diabetes to heart disease. (10) To take full advantage of the tremendous potential for finding a cure or effective treatment for many debilitating diseases, the Federal investment in ethical stem cell research must be expanded. SEC. 3. NATIONAL STEM CELL DONOR BANK. (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall by contract establish and maintain a National Stem Cell Donor Bank (in this section referred to as the ``Donor Bank''). The purpose of the Donor Bank shall be to seek and preserve donations of qualifying human stem cells and to make such donated cells available for biomedical research and for therapeutic purposes. (b) Qualifying Human Stem Cells.--For purposes of this Act, the term ``qualifying human stem cells'' means human stem cells obtained from human placentas, umbilical cord blood, organs or tissues of a living or deceased human being who has been born, or organs or tissues of unborn human offspring who died of natural causes (such as spontaneous abortion). (c) Administration of Donor Bank.--The Donor Bank shall be under the general supervision of the Secretary, and under the direction of a board of directors meeting such criteria as the Secretary may establish. (d) Patient Registry.--The Donor Bank shall with respect to qualifying human stem cells-- (1) operate a registry of patients who are transplant candidates; (2) establish a system for finding donors who are unrelated to the candidate patients and are suitably matched to the patients; and (3) carry out informational and educational activities. (e) Criteria.--The Secretary shall establish criteria for the Donor Bank and other entities that participate in the program under this section, including-- (1) quality standards and standards for tissue typing and obtaining the informed consent of donors, or the parents or legal representatives of donors as appropriate; (2) donor selection criteria, based on established medical criteria, to protect both donors and transplant recipients and to prevent the transmission of potentially harmful infectious diseases; (3) procedures to ensure the proper collection and transportation of qualifying human stem cells; and (4) standards that-- (A) require the establishment of a system of strict confidentiality of records relating to the identity and address of and medical information on patients and donors; and (B) prescribe the purposes for which the records described in subparagraph (A) may be disclosed, and the circumstances and extent of the disclosure. (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2006. SEC. 4. USE OF QUALIFYING HUMAN STEM CELLS IN RESEARCH CONDUCTED OR SUPPORTED BY NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH. (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health, may conduct and support research that uses qualifying human stem cells. (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying out subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2006. SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Act: (1) The term ``qualifying human stem cells'' has the meaning given such term in section 3. (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
summary: Responsible Stem Cell Research Act of 2001- Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish by contract a National Stem Cell Donor Bank to preserve qualifying human stem cells and make such cells available for biomedical research and therapeutic purposes.Authorizes the Secretary, through the National Institutes of Health, to conduct and support human stem cell research.