Statement of Senator Barack Obama on the Senate's Passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

April 24, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement after the Senate's passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (H.R. 493):

"I am proud the Senate passed landmark legislation today to protect all Americans from discrimination by insurance companies and employers on the basis of our genetics. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act will strengthen our privacy and civil rights protections in this new century of medical breakthroughs.

Automated DNA analyzers: Photo by Steve Jurvetson (CC)

"Our extraordinary scientific progress has been shadowed by new challenges to our privacy and new threats to our public health. That is why laws like GINA and the Genomics and Personalized Medicine Act must be passed to combat discrimination and spark the vigorous innovation that will lead to cures for deadly diseases.

"As a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, I am heartened by the impending success of the long and bipartisan effort to enact GINA. I look forward to continuing my work in this area to realize the promise of personalized medicine for all Americans."

Source: Senator Barack Obama

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