NYT/Reuters: Democrats Push for Stem Cell Vote in US Senate

Democrats Push for Stem Cell Vote in US Senate
By REUTERS
Published: May 4, 2006

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Democrats sought on Thursday to jump-start a long-awaited debate on legislation to allow federal funding of embryonic stem cell research by considering it while it debates other health measures this month.

The Democrats sent a letter to Majority Leader Bill Frist asking him to add stem cells to what Republicans have dubbed ''health week.'' Frist wants the Senate to consider other health legislation, possibly next week, on medical malpractice and small business insurance.

Despite a veto threat by President George W. Bush, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill last year backing research on excess embryos that would otherwise be discarded by fertility clinics.

The Senate has not taken up the bill, Frist, a Tennessee Republican, broke with other conservatives to embrace it in a surprise move last summer....

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The letter to Frist from Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada, stem cell bill co-sponsor Tom Harkin of Iowa and other influential Democrats has no Republican signers although aides say some Republican backers of stem cell research are also eager for Frist to act....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-congress-stemcells.html

The senate should be legislating hating homosexuals because that's what "christians" want. To hell with scientific research which may result in the savings of life. The senate should get on with the business and interests of "christians" by whittling away the constitutional liberties of law abiding, tax paying, productive citizens.

Why should we care about saving people's lives? The people with these illnesses must have done something to anger God, or they would not be afflicted, so who cares about them? :sarcasm:

If they can use wedge issues, so can we, and this one is important. Good timing with Repugs feeling the heat. :thumbsup: