Bush Vetoes Stem-Cell Bill; House Override Fails [WSJ]
By SARAH LUECK
July 20, 2006; Page A4
WASHINGTON -- President Bush defended his rejection of a bill on embryonic stem-cell research -- the first veto of his presidency -- with a speech repudiating greater federal funding for such work.
The veto, which many Republicans hoped would dispense with the stem-cell issue well before the November elections, narrowly withstood a House move to override the veto last night. Lawmakers voted 235-193 to approve the bill over Mr. Bush's objections, short of the two-thirds support needed.
Mr. Bush said the bill "crosses a moral boundary" because it "would support the taking of innocent human life in the hope of finding medical benefits for others." (Read a transcript of Bush's remarks.)
Passed last year by the House and on Tuesday by the Senate, the legislation would have permitted federal support of research using stem cells derived from embryos that are slated for destruction after being created for fertility treatments.
The veto puts Mr. Bush at odds with many scientists and others -- including a number of prominent Republicans -- who see embryonic stem-cell research as a promising way to find cures for diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and AIDS.
Republicans had settled on a strategy of swift action to reduce potential political fallout for the party. But Mr. Bush's decision to speak publicly was a sign he didn't want to hide from a debate that puts him on the side of many antiabortion and religious groups.
The president appeared at the White House with a crowd that included children who had been adopted as embryos and adults treated with stem cells not derived from embryos.
Democrats said they would make stem-cell research a campaign issue, targeting competitive races in Missouri, Montana, Ohio and Pennsylvania where incumbent Republicans voted against expanded funding.
Supporters of the bill in both parties said they would try to resurrect the legislation next year.
"This important legislation will become law. It's only a matter of when," said Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado, a sponsor of the House version.
Mr. Bush said he was "disappointed" that the House failed to pass a separate bill encouraging stem-cell research that doesn't harm embryos, which cleared the Senate on Tuesday. The National Institutes of Health already has the authority to fund that type of research.
House leaders had planned to pass that bill to provide Mr. Bush with a measure he could sign at the same time he vetoed the other, but opposition from Democrats and some Republicans was too strong. Mr. Bush did sign into law a ban on "fetal farming," or the development of fetuses for research purposes.
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