President Bush Vetoes Bill H.R. 810, "Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005"

Filed in archive Biotech Hubs and Facilities , Corporate and Industrial News , Stem Cells on July 21, 2006

President Bush exercised his first veto overriding Congress's Bill HR810 to loosen funding restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research. An excerpt from his message delivered during a White House ceremony:

I made it clear to the Congress that I will not allow our nation to cross this moral line. I felt like crossing this line would be a mistake, and once crossed, we would find it almost impossible to turn back. Crossing the line would needlessly encourage a conflict between science and ethics that can only do damage to both, and to our nation as a whole. If we're to find the right ways to advance ethical medical research, we must also be willing, when necessary, to reject the wrong ways. So today, I'm keeping the promise I made to the American people by returning this bill to Congress with my veto.

You can read the whole transcript, as well as a video, of the President's message from the White House website.

The veto naturally drew a lot of opinions, not only in the Senate and Congress, but also in the scientific community, the biotech industry, and the citizenry. See some of them in the New York Times' Readers' Opinions.

Stil, veto or not, stem cell research still contiues. A Forbes article highlights some of the biotech firms working on emryonic, as well as adult stem cell research. And in California, Governor Schwarzenegger reacts to the veto on the use of federal funds on stem cell research by authorizing loans for $150 million using state funds. This will undoubtedly strengthen California's place as one of the top life sciences facilities, not only in the US, but in the world.