text: 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.
target: 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.
feat_title: To provide for a National Stem Cell Donor Bank regarding qualifying human stem cells, and for the conduct and support of research using such cells.