By John-Henry Westen
WASHINGTON, July 19, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - President George W. Bush has today upheld his promise to veto legislation H.R. 810, which would have mandated federal funding of research that requires the killing of human embryos. The bill passed in the Senate yesterday 63-37, falling just short of a veto-proof 2/3 majority. National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) has promised to campaign against Senators who supported the legislation.
In a letter sent to all Senators concerning the bill, NRLC explained, “Each human being begins as a human embryo, male or female. The government should not fund research that requires the killing of living members of the species Homo sapiens. H.R. 810 would require federal funding of research projects on stem cells taken from human embryos who are alive today, and who would be killed by the very act of removing their stem cells for the research—a practice very different from that of the human being who dies by accident and whose organs are then donated to others.”
NRLC added, “Stem cells can be obtained without killing human embryos, from umbilical cord blood and from many types of ‘adult’ (non-embryonic) tissue. Already, humans with at least 72 different diseases and conditions have received therapeutic benefit from treatment with such ‘adult’ stem cells. In contrast, embryonic stem cells have not been tested in humans for any purpose because of the dangers demonstrated in animal studies, including frequent formation of tumors.”
As encouraging as the President’s action was, the statements on the issue from White House spokesman Tony Snow in today’s press briefing were disappointing for pro-life advocates. Snow spent most of the time in the press briefing painting President Bush as more liberal than former President BillÂClinton regarding embryonic stem cell research. Responding to the first question on the matter he stated, “The President is the first ever to have financed research using embryonic stem cell lines.”
Responding to another question, Snow said, “I think a President acting on conscience—a President who, again—Bill Clinton, as President, didn’t authorize any of these lines. This is a President who’s spent more money on embryonic stem cell research and stem cell research generally than any President in American history. He’s got the track record. What’s happening now is that people are trying to politicize it by accusing him of standing in the way of science, when he’s the guy who’s made it possible to open up the way to science.”ÂÂ
Snow added, “for those who are engaged in embryonic stem cell research, there’s no legal prohibition against their doing it. What they don’t have access to is federal funding. And so the idea that the President is standing in the way of science seems to indicate that the only way you do it is through a federal grant. And there is a burgeoning business—as you know, a lot of people getting rich already—in this kind of medical research. So I would argue that the President is the recipient of a bum rap, and for that reason people, when they do get a chance to judge the facts, are going to draw the same conclusion.”