Stem Cell Bill passes House despite veto threat

[Mass_Liberal]

House passes stem cell research bill
Under threat of Bush veto, legislation spurs emotional debate
Tuesday, May 24, 2005 Posted: 6:19 PM EDT (2219 GMT)


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- After impassioned debate, the House passed a controversial bill Tuesday that would expand public funding for embryonic stem cell research -- a measure President Bush threatened to veto last week.

The vote was 238-194, short of the two-thirds supermajority necessary to override a veto. The measure now goes to the Senate.

The legislation would extend funding to research on embryonic stem cell lines that were nonexistent in 2001, when Bush limited funding to lines in existence at the time.

According to scientists, many if not all of the previous lines are now contaminated and unusable.

Stem cell research has been touted by scientists as a possible step toward finding cures for diseases and afflictions including Alzheimer's, cancer and paralysis.

Among its most vocal supporters is former first lady Nancy Reagan, whose husband, former President Ronald Reagan, died of Alzheimer's in June 2004.

But, Bush said Friday, "I made very clear to the Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life, I'm against that. Therefore, if the bill does that, I will veto it."

Bush claims the research destroys life because embryos are destroyed in the process. But supporters point out that there are embryos in fertility clinics that would never be used to create babies, but could be used for research purposes.

Rep. Mike Castle, who introduced the bill, said it "draws a strict ethical line by only allowing federally funded research on stem cell lines that were derived ethically from donated embryos determined to be in excess."

"Under no circumstances," the Delaware Republican said in a written statement last week, "does this legislation allow for the creation of embryos for research, nor does it fund the destruction of embryos."

Under the bill, couples who have undergone fertility treatments and have embryos they won't use can then make the choice of putting them up for adoption, giving them directly to another couple, storing them, discarding them or donating them to science, co-sponsor Rep. Diana DeGette said during debate Tuesday.

"The only federal funds used under the Castle-DeGette bill are federal funds to then develop those embryonic stem cell lines" donated to science, the Colorado Democrat said. "We're allowing more of those lines."

The threatened veto would be the first of Bush's presidency. His stance is supported by Catholic leadership and social conservatives but has been rejected by moderate Republicans.

[OKNancy]

1. Hi - you have time to edit your post

You need to provide the link and to snip it down to only four paragraphs.

[NorCalDem]

2. I hope Bush Vetoes the Bill

only because of the backlash against him that it would cause. Shit, not vetoing it will cause a basklash and loss of support from the RW nutjobs, so pretty much, now that it passed, we can't lose, at least on this issue.

[CoolOnion]

3. "...which destroys life in order to save life..."

"I made very clear to the Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life, I'm against that."

So...we're not going to use taxpayer dollars to build any more weapons? We're not going to send any more kids to war?

Is it just me, or is Shrubya being a hypocrite? Wasn't the whole purpose of the war to sacrifice the lives of our soldiers for the freedom of the Iraqi people? So why not sacrifice a frozen embryo--which will be thrown away, otherwise--to give new life to children with diabetes, to elderly people with Alzheimer's, to people with spinal chord injuries?

[Moderator]

4. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1497187