Stem Cell Research Veto Number Two
In the six and a half years that Dubya has held the position as President he has used his veto power three times. Granted for most of his time in Washington Congress was run by Republicans and acted more like an extension of the West Wing than its own, separate branch of government (the whole point of an independent legislature is to be a check and/or balance on other branches like the executive). Therefore, few bills crossed his desk that had not been vetted by his staff already. Hopefully that is an exaggeration but I do not think it is very far from the truth and is scary.
Back on point, Dubya vetoed S5 or the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Bill of 2007 today marking the second time he has nixed a bill on this issue. This legislation:
“Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 – (Sec. 2) Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells, regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from a human embryo. Limits such research to stem cells that meet the following ethical requirements: (1) the stem cells were derived from human embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics for the purpose of fertility treatment and were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment; (2) the embryos would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded; and (3) such individuals donate the embryos with written informed consent and receive no financial or other inducements.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) issue final guidelines to carry out this Act within 60 days; and (2) submit annual reports on activities and research conducted under this Act.
(Sec. 3) Requires the Secretary to develop techniques for the isolation, derivation, production, or testing of stem cells that are capable of producing all or almost all of the cell types of the developing body and may result in improved understanding of treatments for diseases and other adverse health conditions, but that are not derived from a human embryo. Requires the Secretary to: (1) provide guidance concerning the next steps required for additional research; (2) prioritize research with the greatest potential for near-term clinical benefit; and (3) take into account techniques outlined by the President's Council on Bioethics and any other appropriate techniques and research.
Sets forth reporting requirements.
Authorizes appropriations.” (From Thomas, – a great research tool that can be accessed through the Senate and House web sites or directly http://thomas.loc.gov. Another wonderful research source is the Congressional Research Service, aka CRS.)
According to the New York Times, “In August 2001, Mr. Bush announced the current rules: tax dollars could be used to study colonies, called lines, of embryonic stem cells, if the embryos themselves had already been destroyed. The bill he vetoed would have allowed research on fresh lines drawn from surplus embryos destined to be destroyed by fertility clinics.”
I know people feel very strongly about this issue and it is often lumped in with another controversial issue (abortion) but I just do not get how people can actually favor denying people access to research that could save or improve their lives, especially when the cells themselves are slated to be destroyed. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a great website that gives almost all the information you could ask for about this issue and the good stem cells could do for millions of people. I am pro-choice (no one that I know anyway, is pro-abortion or ‘pro-death’ and am probably more ‘pro-life’ than people who call themselves that because I oppose the death penalty) so it makes sense that I support this research.
Dubya has been walking a tough line – for him, not me – politically because I think he knows most Americans support this research but his conservative base does not. He has also pushed this issue to the front and center of the already underway 2008 presidential race, a move that I think helps Democrats. I will not pretend to understand their motivation here and if past acts say anything the only phrase I can think to describe their actions is tone-deaf. When Rush Limbaugh claimed Michael J. Fox was going off his meds intentionally to make his symptoms look worse than they were I think most Americans were disgusted, which was the only rational response to such nonsense.
The only good news for people waiting for this to help them is the knowledge that there is a good chance they will get their wish. I believe it was Limbaugh who also criticized Fox by saying – and I paraphrase here – that it was stupid for Americans to think their vote for a Senator would translate into any meaningful change in because more and more these elections are being won by smaller and smaller margins. Whoever said that was wrong and every vote matters. My hope is that people will see that, will see that – especially when it comes to issues like stem cell research, people’s vote may actually save lives.
I hope anyone reading this is either registered to vote or will go take care of that right away. You can call your local Board of Elections, DMV or go to this web site: http://www.usayfoundation.org/ (I do not know enough about it to endorse or oppose it) but election day is the one day that all of us have a say, we should not let it go.
AlysonChadwick.com 