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Stem cell research argued in US
26/05/2005 07:53 - (SA)
Klaus Marre
Washington - After the United States House of Representatives defied President George W Bush and removed restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, the divisive debate now moves to the Senate, where some members of Bush's Republican party strongly advocate passing the bill.
The issue has split the majority Republicans, and many members of Bush's party feel that the potential benefits of research using left-over frozen fertilized eggs outweigh the concerns of those who say the embryos represent human life and should not be destroyed for research.
An estimated 400 000 frozen embryos are currently stored in the United States.
Bush, who in 2001 limited federal funding for embryonic stem cell research to fewer than two dozen stem cell lines, said last week he would veto any such legislation.
Tricky issue
He renewed his threat before Tuesday's House vote, at a White House gathering that included adopted children born from leftover fertilized embryos.
"Crossing this line would be a great mistake," said Bush, who has not vetoed any legislation from the Republican-controlled Congress during his presidency.
The president's position is in line with many "pro-life" groups in the United States, such as anti-abortion and religious organisations who form a backbone of his constituency. But despite threats of political retribution against Republicans who support embryonic stem-cell research, the influence of such groups has not had the impact in this case.
Senator Orrin Hatch, a staunchly pro-life Republican from Utah, strongly favours embryonic stem cell research, and told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that he believes that embryonic stem cell research "supports life".
"I think being pro-life means helping the living as well as the unborn," said Hatch. "To allow those 400 000 fertilized eggs to be discarded, and thus to die, flies in the face of the pro-life consideration."
"To not utilise those for the benefit of mankind and to just let them die or crystallise in place is just stupid, as far as I'm concerned," Hatch told dpa.
Bush's veto threat "makes it more difficult" to pass the bill, Hatch said, but he said he was confident there are enough votes in the Senate to get it through. There are 55 Republicans in the 100-member Senate.
But Hatch's strong support for embryonic stem cell research, and that of a handful of other Republican senators, is not the only sign that the issue divides the party.
Senator Trent Lott, a conservative Republican from Mississippi, said, "You want to do all you can to help research that will save life, but you don't want to start producing life that will be destroyed for health research," Lott said. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA
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