Bush vows he will veto stem cell bill | ajc.com: "Bush vows he will veto stem cell bill"Bush vows he will veto stem cell bill.
Washington — On the day after South Korean scientists announced a stem cell breakthrough, President Bush said Friday that he will kill legislation allowing expanded U.S. government funding of stem cell research if it reaches his desk.
Bush said he has made it clear to Congress that he is against "the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life."
"And therefore, if the bill does that, I will veto it," he said, threatening to make what would be the first veto of his presidency.
Bush believes that stem cell research verges on immorally taking human embryonic life, pitting him against those who say that such cells come from abandoned embryos and can, through research, save lives by advancing medical science.
The president expressed his reservations about Thursday's announcement that the South Korean scientists who last year created human cells through cloning had developed stem cells tailored to patients with spinal cord injuries and other conditions, opening the door for possible eventual therapies and cures.
"I'm very concerned about cloning," Bush said. "I worry about a world in which cloning becomes acceptable."
His veto threat came as the House worked toward a possible vote next week on a stem cell measure that could win approval in that chamber by a veto-proof margin. So far, Reps. Mike Castle (R-Del.) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) have almost 200 co-sponsors for their measure. It takes 290 House votes to override a veto. The Senate has not yet dealt with the measure.
The measure would broaden the tight limits Bush has placed on funding for embryonic stem cell research. Supporters say it would provide valuable impetus for research that could lead to cures for diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Reacting to Bush's veto remarks, Castle said Friday that the measure would not fund the destruction of human embryos. "This is consistent with current federal policy set by President Bush on Aug. 9, 2001, and only opens the current policy to new stem cell lines derived ethically," Castle said.
DeGette said it was "disappointing that the president would threaten to use his first veto on a bill that holds promise for cures to diseases that affect millions of Americans."