House Defies Bush, Approves Stem Cell Bill

[FUZO]

TweetHouse Defies Bush, Approves Stem Cell Bill


WASHINGTON - In defiance of a presidential veto threat, senators who support embryonic stem cell research are pushing for a quick vote on a bill passed by the House that would lift restrictions on such studies.



"The American people cannot afford to wait any longer for our top scientists to realize the full potential of stem cell research," said Sen. Tom Harkin (news, bio, voting record) of Iowa, the bill's chief Democratic sponsor.

No Senate debate has been scheduled, according to aides to Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., who is a doctor and an abortion opponent. He has long been an ally of President Bush, who last week said he would veto the bill.

The Republican-controlled House's 238-194 vote on Tuesday stung some abortion opponents even though it fell far short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. Such an action by Bush would be the first of his presidency.

The Senate bill, sponsored by Harkin and Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., is identical to the approved House version. It would lift Bush's 2001 restrictions on federal funding for new embryonic stem cell research.

Proponents say federal funding for the research on days-old embryos, using a process that destroys them, would accelerate the search for treatments and perhaps cures for diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. They say the embryos would have been discarded anyway.

Opponents dispute that, questioning any evidence that embryonic stem cell research will lead to cures. They say taxpayers should not be forced to finance science they see as an attack on unborn babies and Bush's "culture of life."

Bush on Tuesday called the House bill "a mistake."

Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., one of the Senate's staunchest opponents of abortion, said he was "disheartened" by the House's approval but pleased by Bush's veto threat.

"Government should encourage lifesaving research, but should focus on science that both works and is ethical," he said.

The bill's supporters said the Senate should weigh in despite the opposition.

"Let's have an up-or-down vote," Sen. Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., said in an interview.

The medical promise of embryonic stem cell research prompted several House members of both parties who oppose abortion rights to vote yes nonetheless. The moral obligation, they argued, rested on Congress to fund research that could lead to cures for debilitating illnesses.

"Who can say that prolonging a life is not pro-life?" said Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (news, bio, voting record), R-Mo., who said she had a "perfect" pro-life record and whose mother-in-law had died the night before of Alzheimer's disease.

"I must follow my heart on this and cast a vote in favor," she said.

"Being pro-life also means fighting for policies that will eliminate pain and suffering," said Rep. James R. Langevin (news, bio, voting record), D-R.I., who was paralyzed at 16 in a gun accident.

But Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas and other House members who voted against the bill said that even if this type of embryonic stem cell research were proven to cure disease, forcing taxpayers to foot the bill would still be wrong.

"In the life of men and nations some mistakes you can't undo," DeLay said as he closed the House debate. "If we afford the little embryo any shred of respect and dignity we cannot in good faith use taxpayer dollars to destroy them."

He and Bush urged passage of another measure which would fund research and treatment on stem cells derived instead from umbilical cord blood and adults.

That bill passed 430-1, with Rep. Ron Paul (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, the lone no vote.

[Equalizer]

Tweetstem cell research should press on...all we are doing is falling behind every other nation that is involved in this research are making advances while hipocrits on capital hill debate on the morality of it all.....

[jackson vile]

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stem cell research should press on...all we are doing is falling behind every other nation that is involved in this research are making advances while hipocrits on capital hill debate on the morality of it all.....

Don't you get it that is what religion does, what were the Dark Ages? Has everybody forgot about the damn Dark Ages and other ereas of religious rule where religion took place of logica ideas and polatics?

We are just that stupid, just like the people that say "They aren't taking away any of our rights they are just keeping us safe, and if you are doing anything wrong then you have nothing to fear."

[T-Man007]

TweetI'm totally against embryonic stem sell research because it requires killing a baby. And if you tell me "it's not a bady yet", then I say "you're not phukin pregnant if it's not a baby!" The only thing a human can be inpregnated with is a human child, so either you are or you are not pregnant. Period.

Scientists can do the same stuff just as effectively using adult stell cells, which by the way, don't warrant the killing of unborn children.