Endocrine Insider
June 28, 2007

On June 20, President Bush vetoed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 (S.5), which was passed by both the Senate and the House and would expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Both Congress and the president are taking further steps to advance their respective causes.

For its part, Congress is expected to attempt to override the president’s veto, beginning with a vote in the Senate. The legislation passed both houses with strong support, with relatively stronger support in the Senate. Even so, at the time of the original vote, the Senate was just short of the two-thirds majority necessary to override the veto (63-34). The newest addition to the Senate, John Barrasso (R-WY), was sworn in on June 25 to replace the late Republican Senator Craig Thomas, who opposed the legislation prior to his death on June 4. Though Barrasso’s stance on stem cells is not clear, he has indicated his opposition to abortion, and many abortion foes are opposed to embryonic stem cell research as well. The House faces an even greater challenge in coming up with the votes it needs to override a veto, having originally passed the measure 247-176. If all members vote, the House would need 290 yeas to override the veto.

The Senate may take additional measures to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research by attaching language to the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education (L-HHS-E) appropriations measure. The funding measure including the stem cell language has been approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee and will next undergo debate by the full Senate. The stem cell language was introduced by L-HHS-E Subcommittee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and ranking member Arlen Specter (R-PA). While not as comprehensive as measures proposed in S.5, the provision would overturn the president’s Executive Order of August 9, 2001, limiting federal funding for embryonic stem cell research to those lines that had been created prior to 9 p.m. on that date. The provision would extend the deadline to June 15, 2007, thereby allowing federally funded research on an additional 400 cell lines, while not providing for the generation of yet more.

On the same day that he vetoed S.5, the president issued an Executive Order, which holds the weight of law, entitled “Expanding Approved Stem Cell Lines in Ethically Responsible Ways.” The order, which is similar to legislation passed by the Senate on April 11, directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out research on the isolation of pluripotent stem cells that are not of embryonic origin. However, the Senate passed the bill—which has yet to be considered by the House—as a companion to S.5, whereas the president intends his Executive Order as an alternative to S.5.