Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Politics

Stage set for a stem cell showdown

By WES ALLISON
Published April 12, 2007

WASHINGTON - A defiant U.S. Senate overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to upend President Bush's restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, setting up just the second veto of his presidency.

The 63 to 34 vote sends the bill to the House, which passed a nearly identical bill in January, then to President Bush, who says he plans to veto it as he did a similar bill last year.

The Senate's passage of the bill, with the help of 17 Republicans, underscores that political momentum has caught up with the broad public support for stem cell research. Advocates promised that lifting federal restrictions on funding is only a matter of time.

For now, however, they must content themselves with half cajoling, half imploring the president to reconsider.

"I urge President Bush to finally hear the voices of scientists, medical leaders, patients, and more than 500 organizations who have said loud and clear it is time ... to move forward," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

But some have strong moral objections to the research. Extracting the stem cells destroys the embryo, and opponents liken it to abortion.

"It is wrong to use any human as a means to an end. Period," said Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan. "It has been done before. It has always been regretted."

The bill passed Wednesday directs the National Institutes of Health to fund research on stem cells taken from unused embryos being stored in in vitro fertilization clinics, and which otherwise would be destroyed.

Researchers say embryonic stem cells, taken in the earliest stage of life, can become any cell in the body.

One day, they may be manipulated to replace damaged cells and provide treatments for a vast range of ailments, from Alzheimer's to diabetes to paralysis.

In August 2001, President Bush announced the NIH could sponsor research only on embryonic stem cell lines that existed at the time.

Those lines number just 21, and they are of limited value and lack the purity needed for human treatments, experts say.

Scores more lines have been created, but they are off-limits to scientists working with federal dollars. Top researchers - including the NIH director, a Bush appointee - say the restrictions are hindering U.S. medical research.

Stem cell research became a key issue in some congressional campaigns last fall. Although the bill won the same number of votes in the Senate Wednesday as it did last year, three Democrats who backed it last year missed the vote.

Even with them, however, the Senate is one vote short of overriding a veto. The House is about 50 votes short.

"It's a question of when America will move to insist that Congress act and, if necessary, override the presidential veto," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who has fought Bush's restrictions for six years. "I hope the proceedings now will motivate the people to say to Washington, 'Get it done.' "

The president backs a related bill the Senate also passed Wednesday, 70 to 28, which directs the NIH to support research into finding highly malleable stem cells without harming embryos, including taking stem cells from "naturally dead" embryos.

Many scientists derided the bill as useless, however, because the NIH already can do this. There also is widespread disagreement about when an embryo created for in vitro fertilization is actually dead.

Wes Allison can be reached at allison@sptimes.com or 202 463-0577.

Fast Facts:

Embryonic stem cell research

The bill the Senate passed Wednesday, called S.5, would allow funding on embryonic stem cells that meet these conditions:

- The cells must have been taken from eggs created for in vitro fertilization, then not needed. These embryos would otherwise be discarded.

- The embryos' creators must consent to using them for research.

- The donors may not be paid or otherwise compensated.

The bill also encourages research into finding non-embryonic stem cells that can also become nearly any cell in the body.

What's next?

Because the Senate bill differs slightly from a version passed by the House in January, it will be sent to the House for approval. If passed as expected, it would go to President Bush, who has pledged to veto it. Stem cell advocates will try to override the veto. They are within just one vote of the two-thirds majority needed in the Senate, but they are not close in the House.

How they Voted

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla: Yes

Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla: No

[Last modified April 12, 2007, 01:55:36]