Congressional Democrats early in
2007 expect to approve a bill similar to a measure
(HR 810) President Bush vetoed earlier this year
that would have expanded federal funding for human
embryonic stem cell research, the Washington Post
reports (Abramowitz/Weisman, Washington Post, 11/10).
Likely future House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)
on Wednesday said the measure will be voted on
during the first 100 business hours of the next
congressional session, which begins in January
2007, the Denver Post reports (Mulkren, Denver
Post, 11/9). Federal funding for embryonic stem
cell research is allowed only for research using
embryonic stem cell lines created on or before
Aug. 9, 2001, under a policy announced by President
Bush on that date. Bush in July vetoed the Stem
Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, which would
have expanded stem cell lines that are eligible
for federal funding and allowed funding for research
using stem cells derived from embryos originally
created for fertility treatments and willingly
donated by patients. Congress lacked the two-thirds
majority to override Bush's veto (Kaiser Daily
Women's Health Policy Report, 11/9).
Outlook
Pelosi on Thursday said the addition of six Democrats
in the Senate and 29 in the House likely would
not be enough to override another Bush veto on
the legislation but added that Democrats aim
to "build public support for a signature" (Washington
Post, 11/10). According to the Denver Post, Rep.
Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), co-sponsor of the Stem
Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, believes
Tuesday's election results might give the legislation "new
life" (Denver Post, 11/9). Robert Klein
-- chair of the California Institute for Regenerative
Medicine, which is in charge of implementing
the 10-year, $2.95 billion state human embryonic
stem cell research program approved under California
Proposition 71 -- said, "Based on their
known positions, we have a veto-proof Senate.
The challenge will be the House, where we need
about 35 votes on the Republican side." Marcy
Darnovsky, spokesperson for the Center for Genetics
and Society, said the impact stem cell research-related
issues had on outcomes in the elections is unclear
because campaigns were cluttered by "distorted
rhetoric" (Tansey, San Francisco Chronicle,
11/10).
"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org.
You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy
Report, search the archives, or sign up for email
delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy.
The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published
for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry
J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory
Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All
rights reserved.
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=56393
|
