Two of the most significant events of the past week included the release of the budget targets and the vote on the controversial stem cell research bill. The majority party’s budget plan for the 2008 fiscal year was made public last week. The budget funds the priorities of Iowans in education, health care, and renewable energy and reflects the priorities outlined in our Plan for Prosperity as well as our shared priorities with Governor Culver. The budget includes:

• Health care for more Iowa children and their parents.
• $70 million increase in the Teacher Quality and Student Achievement Program to move teacher salary closer to the national median in teacher pay.
• Additional funding for expanding access to preschool programs.
• Funding our colleges and universities to keep tuition increases to no more than the rate of inflation.
• More investment in research and development of alternative energy to attract additional alternative energy industries to the state.
• Reduction of commercial property taxes on Iowa businesses.

The budget is balanced, it complies with the state’s expenditure limitation law, and it fully funds the state’s Cash Reserve Fund. That requires repaying funds borrowed in previous yours and calls for building the state reserve funds to the highest level ever. And, it brings us nearly half way to our $300 million goal in repaying the Senior Living Trust Fund.

We now begin the process of setting the budget priorities in each of the appropriations subcommittees. About 62% of the State’s budget goes to Education, 20% to Health and Human Services, and 10% to Justice Systems (courts, prisons, etc.). We will all be working hard to attempt to meet the many needs of Iowans, while making sure the Iowa taxpayers money is utilized in the most effective and efficient manner.

The other major event of last week in the Iowa House was the passage of SF 162, which will establish the Iowa Research and Cures Initiative. It was passed with a vote of 52-46. I voted in favor of the measure, consistent with my public statements during the campaign last fall. I favor Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT), and I am also ardently opposed to human reproductive cloning. The bill will allow SCNT for the creation of stem cells for therapeutic research, which is not currently legal under current state law.

The bill we passed on Thursday bans human reproductive cloning with the following prohibitions coming directly from the bill:

• Perform or attempt to perform human reproductive cloning--Penalty is class C felony, up to 10 years in prison and maximum of $10,000 fine.
• Participate in or attempt to perform human reproductive cloning--Penalty is class C felony, up to 10 years in prison and maximum of $10,000 fine.

As you can see, human reproductive cloning continues to be banned in Iowa. We want to assure that Iowans have access to the treatments and potential cures that are available to people in most other states. Iowans should not have to leave the state to obtain life-sustaining treatments.

For the past several weeks, my younger brother has been a patient at the Chaophya Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, where he is receiving stem cell implants into his heart. He is receiving stem cells that are cloned (a better term is copied) from his own cells and injected into his very damaged heart. He reports to me daily, by e-mail, that his heart is regenerating and his overall health is improving. We are grateful for the scientists who are using their God-given talents to provide the hope and opportunity for his health and wellness.

As a former School Social Worker with the Division of Special Education, I am acutely aware of the toll that genetic diseases and disabilities take on children and their families. I have spent a life-time working to sustain and preserve life. I am ethically committed about the whole of life and the wholeness of life. Stem cell research and the ability to apply that research to alleviate human suffering is why I support SF 162.

We look forward to the Governor’s signature that will turn this bill into law; it will give Iowans accessibility for stem cell treatments currently available in most other states. This bill will also create opportunities for Iowa to attract researchers and dollars that have the potential to find cures for some of the diseases that currently cause such pain and suffering to many of our citizens.

Thanks for your letters, e-mails, and phone messages. I am attempting to respond to as many as possible. I do appreciate hearing from my constituents. You can contact me at the Iowa Legislature by e-mail, ro.foege@legis.state.ia.us or calling me at 515-281-3221.

Ro

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