DISSENTING VIEWS OF HON. MIKE McCORMACK ON 
H.R. 11192, THE “RECOMBINANT DNA ACT” 
As it is now written, H.R. 11192 troubles me deeply. I believe the 
legislation regulates, unwisely, an essential area of pure research just 
when its potential for benefit to mankind is being realized; and I feel 
it sets a dangerous precedent for the regulation of scientific research 
in the: absence of conclusive, or even demonstrated, significant danger. 
It is ironic that this bill has resulted not from the threat of any 
epidemic or ecological disaster. Instead, it is an over- reaction to re- 
straints placed on themselves by responsible scientists whose ethical 
standards: prompted them to ahticipate and guard against the mere 
possibility of danger from the recombinant DNA research technique. 
Through; the NIH guidelines, these scientists imposed restrictions on 
themselves. After doing so, sensational stories appeared in the popular 
media, greatly exaggerating an illusory imminent danger. This lad us 
downra road, paved with good intentions, to a bill through which we 
will attempt; to regulate, by law, the conduct of recombinant DNA 
research* 
It is ironic also that the law will be almost meaningless to anyone 
really intent upon doing DNA research outside established limits. The 
law is almost impossible to enforce in such instances, because such 
research can be made almost impossible to detect. 
The same scientists who conceived the possibility of the danger of 
the recombinant DNA research have investigated the subject further 
and are now concluding that hazards are much less likely than they 
originally suspected. I quote Dr. David Baltimore, Nobel Prize Win- 
ner, in testimony before the Subcommittee on Science, Research and 
Technology, March 30, 1977 : 
I was one of a group of scientists who, in 1974, first drew 
attention to the potential problems inherent in the manufac- 
ture and study of recombinant DNA molecules. ... I am 
today much less concerned about hazards than I was. 
Dr. Roy Curtiss, Professor of Microbiology, in a letter to Hon. Ray 
Thornton, April 12, 1977 : 
[In 1974 I] suggested a voluntary cessation of essentially 
all recombinant DNA research until “potential biohazards 
can be assessed and means to cope with them estab- 
lished.” . . . Since August, 1974 I have taken four actions, 
some of which have caused me to become far less apprehen- 
sive about recombinant DNA molecule research. ... I am, 
however, extremely concerned that, based on fear, ignorance 
and misinformation, we are about to embark on over-regula- 
tion of an area of science. 
( 30 ) 
[Appendix B — 218] 
