Sunday, June 05, 2005
What nice people
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Backers of embryonic stem cell research in the Senate say they have enough votes to override a veto by President Bush of legislation that would spend taxpayer funds on the unproven research that involves destroying human life.
Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Arlen Specter points to the 58 members of the Senate who previously signed a letter to the president urging him to revise his stem cell research policies, which favor the use of adult stem cells.
Specter said supporters of the embryonic stem cell research bill should be able to find the 67 votes needed to override a veto, and maybe more.
"And there are 20 more in the wings who didn't want to put their names on the letter, who I think would vote to override a veto," Specter said Sunday on ABC's "This Week."
While enough votes to override a veto may materialize in the Senate, the House approved the funding measure and is 50 votes away from reaching the number needed there. Even Delaware Republican Michael Castle acknowledge there was no way to override a veto in the House.
"The concept of that many people changing their minds is not realistic," Castle admitted to the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper.
With that in mind, Republican Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, a possible 2008 presidential contender, told ABC's "This Week" the Senate should instead move forward on approving a bill passed almost unanimously in the House.
That measure would provide funds for collecting adult stem cells from umbilical cord blood.
"I've been taught a lot of lessons from the Democrats lately, so I've got some ideas on how one can get this done," Brownback said. "And I think it's important that we move forward."
Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Arlen Specter points to the 58 members of the Senate who previously signed a letter to the president urging him to revise his stem cell research policies, which favor the use of adult stem cells.
Specter said supporters of the embryonic stem cell research bill should be able to find the 67 votes needed to override a veto, and maybe more.
"And there are 20 more in the wings who didn't want to put their names on the letter, who I think would vote to override a veto," Specter said Sunday on ABC's "This Week."
While enough votes to override a veto may materialize in the Senate, the House approved the funding measure and is 50 votes away from reaching the number needed there. Even Delaware Republican Michael Castle acknowledge there was no way to override a veto in the House.
"The concept of that many people changing their minds is not realistic," Castle admitted to the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper.
With that in mind, Republican Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, a possible 2008 presidential contender, told ABC's "This Week" the Senate should instead move forward on approving a bill passed almost unanimously in the House.
That measure would provide funds for collecting adult stem cells from umbilical cord blood.
"I've been taught a lot of lessons from the Democrats lately, so I've got some ideas on how one can get this done," Brownback said. "And I think it's important that we move forward."
