It took five-and-a-half years but President Bush finally received a bill from the Republican-dominated Congress that he saw fit to veto. The bill would have given federal funds to stem cell research designed to find cures for diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and even cancer. The president vetoed it because it uses four-day-old human embryos that would have been otherwise destroyed.
'This bill would support the taking of innocent human life of the hope of finding medical benefits for others,' Bush claimed. 'It crosses a moral boundary that our society needs to respect, so I vetoed it.'
When he delivered his speech, the president was with 18 families who 'adopted' frozen embryos discarded by other couples.
It is highly unlikely that there are enough votes in the Senate or House to override the president's veto. The legislation passed in the Senate 63-37, four votes shy of the number needed to override. With Republicans in control of both the Senate and the House, it is unlikely they will back an override of Mr. Bush.
The bill would have ended limits on stem cell research put in place by Mr. Bush in 2001. Government money is barred from supporting work on new lines derived from human embryos. Supporters of the legislation say that the restrictions hamper overall research efforts and keeps the U.S. from being at the forefront of medical technology.
Supporters of the bill, which include former First Lady, Nancy Reagan, say the fight is not over.
'With his swift veto today, the president may think he has put the issue of stem cell research behind him,' said Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass). 'But it is not over for the child with diabetes who struggles with endless injections of insulin. It is not over for those who must watch helplessly as a parent or spouse succumbs to the tremors of Parkinson's disease.
Kennedy promised that lawmakers would take up the legislation again soon.
