US Congress votes to expand stem cell research

US Congress votes to expand stem cell research

The Democratic-led U.S. Congress defied President George W. Bush on Thursday and gave final approval to legislation to roll back his restrictions on federally funded embryonic stem cell research.

But the 247-176 vote by the House of Representatives on the measure already passed by the Senate was short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a promised veto by Bush, who rejected a similar bill last year.

"If this bill were to become law, American taxpayers would for the first time in our history be compelled to support the deliberate destruction of human embryos," Bush said in a statement. "Crossing that line would be a grave mistake."

Thirty-seven of Bush's fellow Republicans joined 210 Democrats in voting for the bill.

Shortly after Bush took office in 2001, he allowed federal funding on 78 stem cell lines then in existence. Most turned out to be of limited use to scientists, who have pressed Congress to expand federally funded research.

Stem cell research has the potential to cure the most complex and damaging diseases out there, such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes, nerve damage, and paralysis. However, as with decent and affordable health care, the Republicans are adamantly against any health plan that will benefit the majority of America. The Republicans have their own health care agenda in mind: Superstitious prayer healing and suicide.