Congressman Paul has stated that Stem Cell research is not an area that the federal government should be involved in and that it should be left to the states. He has argued that while some believe that it is moral stance to support certain types of research for the benefit of others or to oppose that same research based on moral grounds surrounding life, but the true moral question is whether or not it is moral to use government to force people in a nation to pay for medical research.
Congressman Paul has voted against every stem cell research bill that has come to a vote while in office, noting that the federal government is not granted this power in the Constitution.
Missing the Point
In May of 2005, Congressman Paul used his "Texas Talk" to address stem cell research.
Missing the Point: Federal Funding of Stem Cell Research May 30, 2005
Medical and scientific ethics issues are in the news again, as Congress narrowly passed a bill last week that funds controversial embryonic stem cell research. While I certainly sympathize with those who understandably hope such research will lead to cures for terrible diseases, I object to forcing taxpayers who believe harvesting embryos is immoral to pay for it.
Congressional Republicans, eager to appease pro-life voters while still appearing suitably compassionate, supported a second bill that provides nearly $80 million for umbilical cord stem cell research. But it’s never compassionate to spend other people’s money for political benefit. The issue is not whether the federal government should fund one type of stem cell research or another. The issue is whether the federal government should fund stem cell research at all.
Clearly there is no constitutional authority for Congress to do so, which means individual states and private citizens should decide whether to permit, ban, or fund it. Neither party in Washington can fathom that millions and millions of Americans simply don’t want their tax dollars spent on government research of any kind. This viewpoint is never considered.
Federal funding of medical research guarantees the politicization of decisions about what types of research for what diseases will be funded. Scarce tax resources are allocated according to who has the most effective lobby, rather than on the basis of need or even likely success. Federal funding also causes researchers to neglect potential treatments and cures that do not qualify for federal funds. Medical advancements often result from radical ideas and approaches that are scoffed at initially by the establishment. When scientists become dependent on government funds, however, they quickly learn not to rock the boat and stick to accepted areas of inquiry. Federal funds thus distort the natural market for scientific research.
The debate over stem cell research involves profound moral, religious, and ethical question-- questions Congress is particularly ill equipped to resolve. The injustice of forcing taxpayers to fund research some find ethically abhorrent is patently obvious. When we insist on imposing one-size-fits-all social policies determined in Washington, we invariably make millions of Americans very angry. Again, the constitutional approach to resolving social issues involves local, decentralized decision-making.
This approach is not perfect, but it is much better than pretending Congress possesses the magical wisdom to serve as the nation’s moral arbiter. Decentralized decisions and privatized funding would eliminate much of the ill will between supporters and opponents of stem cell research. Government cannot instill morality in the American people. On the contrary, rigid, centralized, government decision-making is indicative of an apathetic and immoral society. The greatest casualty of centralized government decision-making is personal liberty.
What's Missing in the Stem Cell Debate
In June of 2007, Congressman Paul used his "Texas Talk" to discuss the rights of tax payers in the stem cell debate.
Rights of Taxpayers is Missing Element in Stem Cell Debate June 25, 2007
The debate in Washington has again turned to federal funding of stem cell research, with President Bush moving to veto legislation passed recently by Congress. Those engaged in this debate tend to split into warring camps claiming exclusive moral authority to decide the issue once and for all. On one side, those who support the President’s veto tend to argue against embryonic stem cell research, pointing to the individual rights of the embryo being discarded for use in research. On the other hand are those who argue the embryo will be discarded any way, and the research may provide valuable cures for people suffering from terrible illnesses.
In Washington, these two camps generally advocate very different policies. The first group wants a federal ban on all such research, while the latter group expects the research to be federally-subsidized. Neither side in this battle seems to consider the morality surrounding the rights of federal taxpayers. Our founding fathers devised a system of governance that limited federal activity very narrowly. In doing so, they intended to keep issues such as embryonic stem cell research entirely out of Washington’s hands. They believed issues such as this should be tackled by free people acting freely in their churches and medical associations, and in the marketplace that would determine effective means of research.
When government policies on this issue were to be developed, our founders would have left them primarily to state legislators to decide in accord with community standards. Their approach was also the only one consistent with a concern for the rights and freedom of all individuals, and for limiting negative impacts upon taxpayers. When Washington subsidizes something, it does so at the direct expense of the taxpayer. Likewise, when Washington bans something, it generally requires a federal agency and a team of federal agents— often heavily-armed federal agents—to enforce the ban.
These agencies become the means by which the citizenry is harassed by government intrusions. Yet it is the mere existence of these agencies, and the attendant costs associated with operating them, that leads directly to the abuse of the taxpayers’ pocketbooks. If Congress attempts to override the President’s veto, I will support the President. As a physician, I am well aware that certain stem cells have significant medical potential and do not raise the moral dilemmas presented by embryonic stem cell research. My objection is focused on the issue of federal funding. Unfortunately, in the Washington environment of “either subsidize it, or else ban it,” it is unlikely there will be much focus given to the issue of federal funding. Instead, virulent charges will fly regarding who is willing to sacrifice the lives and health of others to make a political point. Only when Washington comes to understand that our founders expressly intended for our federal government to be limited in scope, will policy questions such as this be rightly understood. But that understanding will not come until the people demand their elected officials act in accordance with these principles.
Markets or States Deal With It
In a debate for the Republican Presidential Nomination, Congressman Paul stated that the problem was that the government feels it should with prohibit it or subsidize it, and that is not the case. He states that the States should address the issue.
Voting Record
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007
The bill came back up for another vote in roll call 443 where it passed 247-146 before it was vetoed by President Bush. Ron Paul voted against the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.
Ron Paul voted against the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007
In January 2007, the Senate passed S 5 - the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act with wide support from Democrats and moderate support from Republicans. The Act required the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells, regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from a human embryo. Specific limitations were put in place to ensure that the embryos would not have been used for other purposes and were not created specifically for research. The bill passed both the house and senate, but was vetoed by President Bush. Ron Paul voted against the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.
Ron Paul voted against the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005
In 2006, an initial effort to pass a stem cell research bill through congress was also vetoed by President Bush. The veto override failed to achieve the necessary 2/3 majority.. Ron Paul voted against overturning the veto on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005.
Ron Paul voted against overturning the veto on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005.
The Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act
In 2006, the Senate passed the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act. Although it was widely supported in the Senate, it did not reach the 2/3 necessary to pass the House without objection in a 273-154 vote. Ron Paul voted against the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act.
Ron Paul voted against the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act.
Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005
In 2005, Congress passed the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005. The bill set up requirements for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to contract with qualified cord blood stem cell banks to assist in the ');
echo('collection and maintenance of 150,000 new units of high-quality cord blood to be made available for transplantation through the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program. The bill passed almost unanimously in roll call 205. Ron Paul voted against the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005.
Ron Paul voted against the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005.
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act
In May of 2005, the House passed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. This legislation would have allowed research on human embryonic stem cells created after President Bush's 2001 deadline. The measure passed the House and Senate, but was vetoed. It passed the House 238-194. Ron Paul voted against the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.
Ron Paul voted against the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.
Sponsored and Cosponsored Legislation
This representative has not been identified as sponsoring or cosponsoring significant legislation related to this title.
