Genetic Nondiscrimination Bill Passes Senate
By Liz Goldberg
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 – The Senate Thursday unanimously passed a bill that would ban discrimination by employers and insurance companies against people who are genetically predisposed to certain illnesses. The vote was 98-0. It is the second time in as many sessions that the bill, sponsored by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), has been passed unanimously.
“It is of critical importance that people do not feel afraid to use available technologies that could save their lives just because they are worried about losing their health insurance and their jobs,” Snowe said in a statement.
Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.) introduced a genetic nondiscrimination bill in the House in 2003 and se plans to introduce a “very similar” bill soon, said Eric Burns, Slaughter’s communications director.
Although the earlier House bill never moved out of committee, it had bipartisan support, with 242 co-sponsors, and was supported by the White House, Burns said. Those who opposed the bill did so because of the concerns of business and insurance groups, he said.
The Republican leadership is “more beholden to the special-interest groups than to the American people in passing this legislation,” Burns said, adding that the American people are “clamoring” for the legislation now that genetic testing has become more widespread.
The House Education and the Workforce Committee, which held hearings on the bill last year, had concerns that the legislation could be redundant or could create additional problems, said Kevin Smith, a spokesman for the committee.
“We had several witnesses testify last year about the steps the federal government, as well as the states, have already taken to address the issue of genetic nondiscrimination in the workplace,” Smith said. “Before Congress enacts additional mandates, it’s important and appropriate to discuss whether any legislative proposal would have unintended consequences on both employers and workers.”
Smith said the committee will continue to monitor the issue.
Slaughter is optimistic that the House will pass the bill this time, Burns said.
“I think it’s going to be hard for the Republican leadership to just stonewall [the bill], particularly when the only objections seem to be coming from special-interest groups,” he said.
Snowe, in a statement, called on the House “to join us in making the protections in this act a reality and prevent such discrimination from blocking Americans’ access to the promise of modern medicine.”
Reps. Thomas H. Allen (D-Maine) and Michael H. Michaud (D-Maine) both co-sponsored Slaughter’s bill in 2003 and plan to co-sponsor it again, barring any major changes to the language of the bill, their press secretaries said.
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