Bush Promises Veto On Stem Cell Bill

The Senate is expected to vote this week on a bill that clears the way for federal financing of new embryonic stem cell research — which President Bush is expected to veto.

The only veto of Mr. Bush's time in office was on a similar bill last year, and the White House announced that he would respond to the Senate's latest offering in the same way.

The Senate begins debate Tuesday on the bill, which would reverse the president's ban on taxpayer-funded research using stem cells developed after August of 2001. The bill, by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is S. 5.

Supporters of embryonic stem cell research say it could yield cures for diseases and injuries that affect millions of people.

Opponents say the process is immoral because the process of extracting the stem cells kills the embryo.

Mr. Bush said Reid's measure crosses an ethical line because human embryos are destroyed in the process of extracting the stem cells — material that can morph into any tissue in the body and theoretically replace or heal damaged organs.

The Senate will also consider a second bill, sponsored by Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., that is designed to be more acceptable to abortion opponents and other critics of embryonic stem cell research. It calls for the government to establish guidelines for stem cell research on embryos that have naturally lost the ability to develop into human beings.

The Isakson bill would also prohibit taxpayer money from being spent on the creation of embryos for research purposes, a provision some scientists strongly oppose. The bill is S. 30.

The White House said Tuesday that Mr. Bush would sign the Isakson bill, claiming it would permit federal funding using human embryos that could not develop into fetuses, research it called "extremely promising" and a way to "advance science without compelling American taxpayers to participate in ongoing destruction of human embryos."

"The administration does not believe science and ethics need be at odds," the statement said.

Both bills are moving toward a Senate vote this week with debate over budding science that many researchers say could cure diseases that afflict millions of people.

"There are 100 million Americans suffering from debilitating diseases and disorders for which embryonic stem cell research provides great hope," said Sean Tipton, president of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research. "It is our hope that each and every senator will do what is right for America and vote 'yea' when they are called upon to vote on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act later this week and not be distracted by other bills such as S. 30, which is clearly a White House-driven red herring," added Tipton.

Judie Brown, president of the American Life League, came out in opposition of both Senate bills, saying both "pose serious threats to pre-born children." She noted that the Isakson bill's allowance for scientists to determine which embryos would be incapable of surviving outside the womb was "arbitrary," and would result in "a dead child."

While federal funding has been halted, some states are moving forward to fund stem cell research themselves, both to advance medical research and to gain competitive advantage against other states — and with other countries.

In 2004, California voters passed a $3 billion ballot initiative for embryonic stem cell research that aims to make the state a global hub for the field.

In addition to California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Illinois have adopted legislation that encourages embryonic stem cell research; all but Massachusetts have established publicly funded research programs. State funding is also moving forward in Wisconsin.

Supporters of embryonic stem cell research in Oregon are urging Gov. Ted Kulongoski to appoint a group to seek private and public contributions to fund the research.

"I think we, state legislators, have a moral imperative as policy makers to support ethical scientific research that helps people, especially those suffering from serious illness," said Rep. Larry Galizio. "I think biomedical research — especially regenerative research — holds enormous economic promise."

Debate over the use of non-embryonic stem cells — taken from adults or from umbilical cord blood — is less charged than considering the use of a fertilized human egg, but also brings with it the reservations of researchers who say adults stem cells are less adaptive.

"Embryonic stem cells are capable of differentiating into more different types of cells," said Don Wolf, a former stem cell researcher at Oregon Health & Science University Wolf. "Adult stem cells are restricted in their developmental potential."

Most researchers also believe that embryonic stem cells are easier to reproduce than adult stem cells.

Still, some legislators are more comfortable with the implications of funding adult stem cell research. Florida's House and Senate committees are meeting Tuesday to consider spending state money in that area.

In January the Democratic-controlled House passed a bill supporting embryonic stem cell research, but the 253-174 vote fell well short of the two-thirds margin required to overturn President Bush's promised veto.