NOVELTY - A membrane electrode assembly comprises an anode; a cathode; and an ion conducting membrane (12) interposed between the anode and cathode, where the ion conducting membrane includes ion conducting polymer having a stabilizing agent and platinum or a platinum-containing compound or alloy dispersed within at least a portion of the ion conducting membrane. The ion conducting membrane has a platinum coverage of 1-30 mu g/cm2 and cerium ion coverage of 0.05-100 mu g/cm2. When the ion conducting membrane includes platinum particles, the stabilizing agent comprises cerium.    USE - As membrane electrode assembly for fuel cell applications (claimed) used as an electrical power source in many applications; and in automobiles.    ADVANTAGE - The fuel cell incorporating the membrane electrode assembly exhibits less degradation than a fuel cell of the same design incorporating a membrane electrode assembly without cerium. The membrane has stabilization agent and platinum to inhibit the loss of fluoride from the ion conducting membrane when compared to the ion conducting membrane having the same construction except for the presence of cerium ions. The membrane provides improved ion conducting membranes with reduced fluoride emissions. The combination of cerium ions and platinum in the ion conducting membrane exhibits greater chemical stability than when either additive is used alone. The combination of cerium and platinum also provides a dramatic improvement in membrane lifetime. The combination of cerium and platinum within a membrane greatly arrests chemical degradation, thereby providing a significant improvement in membrane life relative to the presence of an equivalent amount of cerium alone.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) a method of making membrane electrode assembly involving placing a first catalyst layer (14) over a first side of an ion conducting membrane such that the first catalyst layer contacts a portion of the ion conducting membrane, where the first catalyst layer includes a stabilization agent that is diffusible into the ion conducting membrane and the ion conducting membrane includes platinum or a platinum-containing compound or alloy; and placing a second catalyst layer (16) over a second side of the ion conducting membrane; and    (2) a fuel cell (10) comprising an ion conductive membrane having a first side and a second side, where the ion conducting membrane has platinum or a platinum-containing compound or alloy and stabilization agent to inhibit the loss of fluoride from the ion conducting membrane, where the stabilization agent is selected from cerium-containing compounds and/or manganese-containing compounds; a first catalyst layer disposed on the first side of the ion conducting membrane; and second catalyst layer disposed on the second side of the ion conduction membrane.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows schematic illustration of a fuel cell incorporating ion conducting membrane.    Fuel cell (10)    Polymeric ion conductive membrane (12)    First catalyst layer (14)    Second catalyst layer (16)    Electrically conductive plates (20, 22)    Gas channels (24, 26)    Gas diffusion layer (30, 32)    Microporous layer (34, 36)