US president and Congress set to clash over stem cell research
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《英国医生杂志》
The US House of Representatives passed a bill last week to increase funding for research on embryonic stem cells. The research would use frozen leftover embryos voluntarily donated by couples who no longer needed them for fertility treatment.
The move challenges President George Bush, who restricted federal funding for stem cell research to lines in existence before 9 August 2001. Scientists say that few lines from before this date remain, and they may be contaminated, limiting US research ( BMJ 2005;330: 214).
The president, who has never used his veto before, has said that he would veto federal legislation to fund the destruction of embryos. He said that the bill would create incentives for the destruction of "emerging human life."
The house heard moving appeals from people whose disorders might be helped by stem cell research (including several from members of the house). About 50 Republicans from Mr Bush's majority party crossed party lines to vote with Democrats in favour of the bill.
President Bush cuddles a baby born as a result of "embryo adoption"
Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/GETTY
Conservatives, such as Tom DeLay, leader of Republicans in the house, however, consider the destruction of embryos to retrieve stem cells to be the same as killing a human being. Mr DeLay said, "An embryo is a person... We were at one time embryos... So was Abraham... Muhammad... Jesus of Nazareth."
Among those in the Senate in favour of stem cell research is Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvanian Republican who is publicly undergoing treatment for lymphoma. Mr Specter told the New York Times that he probably has enough Senate votes to overturn a presidential veto.
The Senate will vote on the bill soon after 7 June, when it returns from the Memorial Day holiday. Michael Manganiello, senior vice president for government relations of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, told the BMJ that there was strong bipartisan Senate support for the bill.
At a White House press conference the same day as the bill was passed, the president cuddled one of several babies born after couples donated leftover embryos to other couples, called "embryo adoption." He encourages this as an alternative to using leftover embryos for research or destroying them.
If the bill is passed by the Senate and is vetoed by the president, his veto can be over-ruled by a two thirds vote in both the house and the Senate. Although both Republicans and Democrats have strong support, there may not be enough votes to over-rule a presidential veto in the house, but there may be in the Senate.
A presidential way out may exist, Mr Manganiello told the BMJ. He explained that the bill does not provide funds for destroying embryos to retrieve stem cells. That could be done with private funding and would increase by thousands the number of stem cell lines available to scientists. The bill would remove the August 2001 restriction and would provide federal funding for research on the newly increased numbers of stem cell lines.(Janice Hopkins Tanne)
The move challenges President George Bush, who restricted federal funding for stem cell research to lines in existence before 9 August 2001. Scientists say that few lines from before this date remain, and they may be contaminated, limiting US research ( BMJ 2005;330: 214).
The president, who has never used his veto before, has said that he would veto federal legislation to fund the destruction of embryos. He said that the bill would create incentives for the destruction of "emerging human life."
The house heard moving appeals from people whose disorders might be helped by stem cell research (including several from members of the house). About 50 Republicans from Mr Bush's majority party crossed party lines to vote with Democrats in favour of the bill.
President Bush cuddles a baby born as a result of "embryo adoption"
Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/GETTY
Conservatives, such as Tom DeLay, leader of Republicans in the house, however, consider the destruction of embryos to retrieve stem cells to be the same as killing a human being. Mr DeLay said, "An embryo is a person... We were at one time embryos... So was Abraham... Muhammad... Jesus of Nazareth."
Among those in the Senate in favour of stem cell research is Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvanian Republican who is publicly undergoing treatment for lymphoma. Mr Specter told the New York Times that he probably has enough Senate votes to overturn a presidential veto.
The Senate will vote on the bill soon after 7 June, when it returns from the Memorial Day holiday. Michael Manganiello, senior vice president for government relations of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, told the BMJ that there was strong bipartisan Senate support for the bill.
At a White House press conference the same day as the bill was passed, the president cuddled one of several babies born after couples donated leftover embryos to other couples, called "embryo adoption." He encourages this as an alternative to using leftover embryos for research or destroying them.
If the bill is passed by the Senate and is vetoed by the president, his veto can be over-ruled by a two thirds vote in both the house and the Senate. Although both Republicans and Democrats have strong support, there may not be enough votes to over-rule a presidential veto in the house, but there may be in the Senate.
A presidential way out may exist, Mr Manganiello told the BMJ. He explained that the bill does not provide funds for destroying embryos to retrieve stem cells. That could be done with private funding and would increase by thousands the number of stem cell lines available to scientists. The bill would remove the August 2001 restriction and would provide federal funding for research on the newly increased numbers of stem cell lines.(Janice Hopkins Tanne)