Bush Vetoes Embryonic Stem Cell Bill

At the lowest point in his presidency, Bush makes it clear that the will of the people has no place in his decision. Now he is increasingly losing support among Republicans.

Bush signing the veto whitehouse.gov

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - In spite of the fact that more than 70% of the nation hoped he wouldn't, President Bush whipped out his veto pen for the first time Wednesday, rejecting a legislative attempt to remove roadblocks to increased federal funding of research using embryonic stem cells.

"This bill would support the taking of innocent human life of the hope of finding medical benefits for others. It crosses a moral boundary that our society needs to respect, so I vetoed it," Bush said at a White House event.

The House passed the bill last year, and the Senate voted Tuesday to approve the legislation on a 63-37 vote. White House officials had vowed that Bush would hold to previous threats to veto the bill.

Many charge that restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research put into place by Bush in 2001 have hindered potentially life-saving research into treatments for a range of illnesses and in the meanwhile, people are dying.

"President Bush defied the will of the American people and crushed the hopes of millions who suffer from serious and debilitating diseases like cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's and Parkinson's. The need for a new direction in America has never been clearer," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in a statement.

The legislation now goes back to the House and Senate, but neither chamber is expected to muster the two-thirds majorities needed to override a veto.

Democrats cited polls that show a majority of Americans have backed embryonic stem-cell research. They contend the veto will hurt Republicans in the fall midterm elections. GOP strategists contend the move will help shore up support among the party's conservative base.

In a 2001 executive order, Bush restricted research to embryonic stem-cell lines already in existence at that time.

Advocates say the administration's restrictions have slowed the development of treatments for those suffering from spinal-cord injuries and a range of diseases.

The bill that Bush vetoed would have made the federal government support research using stem cells from excess embryos created as part of fertility treatments and that were due to otherwise be discarded. The written consent of the embryo donors would also have been required.

The interesting trend in the center of this news is that Bush's own party members are standing at opposing ends and in some cases, jumping ship. People like Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., a co-sponsor of the bill, who debated the measure on Tuesday.

"It is a clear cut question to use embryos to save lives because otherwise they will be destroyed," Opponents contend the research destroys human life and shouldn't be funded by taxpayer dollars.

The White House event where Bush announced the veto was attended by the families of 18 children born through embryo donations. They are called "snowflake" families, "Each of these children was adopted while still an embryo and has been blessed with the chance to grow -- to grow up in a loving family," Bush said. "These boys and girls are not spare parts."

The issue has divided Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., broke with Bush last year, announcing that he would pursue a vote on the House legislation.

While admitting that he is against a woman's right to choose abortion, Frist says he still disagrees with the president's decision to veto the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. He says additional lines should be made available, given the potential of this research and the limitations of the existing lines eligible for federally funded research.