Bush Readies Veto for Stem Cell Bill

By MARY DALRYMPLE
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - President Bush readied the first veto of his presidency to stop legislation to ease limits on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the bill was expected to reach the president's desk midday Wednesday, and that Bush would veto the measure as promised as soon as it does. He planned to speak about the issue later in the afternoon, surrounded by families who "adopted" frozen embryos that were not used by other couples, and then used those leftover embryos to have children.

While both the GOP-run House and Senate defied Bush in passing the measure to expand federally funded embryonic stem research, supporters do not appear to have the two-thirds vote margin needed to override such a veto.

Pleadings from celebrities, a former first lady and fellow Republicans did not move Bush from his determination to reject the bill. However, lawmakers planned to try as soon as Bush issues the veto.

"There is a strong difference of opinion and the president recognizes that," Perino said. "He also understands that there is a difference between when you are a scientist and when you are a policy-maker, when you are weighing the profound and unique responsibilities that you have as a policy-maker. He made this determination after considerable thought and much consultation with bioethicists and doctors and researchers and religious leaders, even family and friends."

The veto was following two days of emotional debate in Congress, punctuated by stories of personal and family suffering, that cast lawmakers into the intersection of politics, morality and science.

Strong majorities in the House and Senate joined sentiments with most Americans and passed a bill that lifts restriction currently limiting federally funded research to stem cell lines created before Aug. 9, 2001.

"I expect that the House will sustain the president's veto," said House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Disappointed lawmakers said they intended to keep pushing to lift the restrictions.

"The unfortunate part is, if the president does veto the bill, then it sets us back a year or so until we can finally pass a bill that will have the requisite supermajority to be able to become law," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "And that sets back embryonic stem cell research another year or so."

The Senate voted 63-37 on Tuesday, four votes short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override a veto. The House last year fell 50 votes short of a veto-proof margin when it passed the same bill, 238-194.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., a surgeon who pushed for expanding federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, said Bush in private conversation vowed not to let any more embryos be destroyed for research with federal money on his watch.

Bush has made 141 veto threats during his time in office, and the Republicans controlling Congress typically respond by changing bills to his liking.

Bush's stand against stem cells is popular among conservative Republicans that the party will rely on in the congressional elections this fall. Those opponents are the same voters who have felt alienated by Bush's actions to increase legal immigration, and the veto could bring them back into the fold.

One conservative group, Focus on the Family Action, in Colorado Springs, Colo., praised Bush's "uncommon character and courage in his defense of preborn," while blasting senators who voted against Bush. "Some members of the Senate who should know better voted to destroy human lives and that goes beyond cowardice."

Although many in the religious right are passionately opposed to stem cell research, most Americans support it, and Bush risks alienating that majority in the critical midterm year.