Bush Vetoes Stem Cell Research Bill
Bump and Update(TL): Bush has vetoed the stem cell research bill, exercising the first veto of his presidency.
Action Alert: Sign this petition by Progress Now .
Override the President's veto of HR 810, Stem cell research support
More than one year ago, the House of Representatives passed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (H.R. 810). This bill would override President Bush's 2001 decision to limit federal funding of embryonic stem cell research and take the first step toward providing potential cures for many debilitating diseases including Parkinson's and diabetes.
Unfortunately, despite the support of 72% of Americans and overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, President Bush used the first veto of his term against this life saving research. We urge the US Congress to step in and override the President's veto. Doing so would truly demonstrate compassion for the largest number of Americans.
********
Original Post
by TChris
Stem Cell Bill Passes Senate, Awaits Veto
George "The Decider" Bush must now decide whether to use the first veto of his presidency (after 141 threats) to dash the hopes of the disabled and diseased that stem cell research might pave the way to their recoveries. As expected, the Senate voted in favor of expanded stem cell research. Also as expected, the margin -- 63-37 -- was short of the two-thirds majority it would take to override the president's promised veto.
The president left little doubt he would reject the bill despite late appeals on its behalf from fellow Republicans Nancy Reagan and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The president argues that taking stem cells from an embryo that is likely to be discarded anyway constitutes murder. There is, of course, no law that would punish someone for murder for discarding an embryo, but The Decider has never been a stickler for the law.
Senate supporters of the bill likened that logic to opposition suffered by Galileo, Christopher Columbus and others who were rebuked in their time but vindicated later.
Ben Nelson was the only Democrat to vote against the bill, while 19 Republicans voted for it.
Mary Tyler Moore, after meeting with Sen. Frist, offerred a questionable assessment of the president:
"This is an intelligent human being with a heart, and I don't see how much longer he can deny those aspects of himself," she said.
How much longer can he avoid showing any evidence of those attributes to the public?
| < Federal Judge: Prisoners Have Abortion Rights | Israel- Lebanon Open Thread > |
