Stem Cell Research

In the ongoing developments in Congress, the House of Representatives had passed a new bill supporting the funding for human embryonic stem cell research last week. The bill now goes onto the Senate where it will likely be passed. The only obstacle to the bill is President Bush’s opposition in the form of a possible presidential veto.

The president opposes the use of federal funding for stem cell research claiming that the science is destroying human life. The biggest proponent of the bill is Republican Senator Arlen Specter from Pennsylvania who has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Senator Specter has stated that the Senate does have enough votes to override a veto from the president to get the bill passed into law.

In August of 2001 President Bush allowed for funding of stem cell research provided that there were strict limits placed on the federal funding. Now that the stem cell research has rapidly sped up due to new findings on this subject in Asia. Several interest groups particularly religious conservatives and abortion opponents are against the bill. Senate minority leader Harry Reid strongly supports this bill and is optimistic that it will be passed into law.

Stem cell research with or without embryos is beneficial to the scientific community and the use of federal funding can speed up to the lab developments. Stem cell research is so important because it can one-day cure cancer or Alzheimer’s disease. Federal funding can make that day approach quicker