WASHINGTON — With the hot-button issue of embryonic stem-cell research now before the U.S. Senate, Utah's two senators said Wednesday that they favor a bill that would allow expanded federal funding for such studies.

Bipartisan stem-cell legislation passed the House on Tuesday and is expected to see a similar result in the Senate. President Bush, however, has said he would veto such a measure, his first — and the House apparently doesn't have the votes to override him.

The bill would give federally funded researchers access to surplus embryos from fertility clinics as long as the donors give their consent.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, describing himself as a "long-standing pro-life senator," said it is possible to be both anti-abortion and pro-embryonic stem-cell research.

"I understand why this form of stem-cell research may troublesome," Hatch said. "However, after many conversations with scientists, ethicists, patient advocates and religious leaders and many hours of thought, reflection and prayer, I reached the conclusion that human life does not begin in a Petri dish."

Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, said he, too, favors such research, based in part on his family's experiences.

Hatch joined a bipartisan group of senators Wednesday to urge the Senate to pass the legislation.

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called for a swift vote in the Senate on the legislation, and he criticized Bush for opposing it. Several Senate Republicans later took up the call as Bush renewed his veto threat.

In a new rhetorical exchange, Reid said it was "wrong politically, morally and scientifically" for Bush to oppose the loosening of restrictions.

Within hours, Bush declared, "There must be a balance between science and ethics and I have made my decision."

"The use of federal dollars to destroy life is something I simply do not support," Bush said at the White House.

The president declined to answer a question about what should be done with the many embryos left over from fertility treatments.

"The issue that involves the federal government is whether or not to use taxpayers' money that would end up destroying that life," he said.

Bennett, a longtime abortion foe, released a statement reiterating his position, first mentioned three years ago.

The junior Utah senator said his views on the issue were influenced by his daughter's experience that some lab-created human embryos never are capable of developing toward birth.

He explained: "We are very close to this issue in our family; one of our daughters has used in-vitro procedures in an attempt to have additional children." While the attempt was unsuccessful, Bennett said her experience showed him "that all embryos are not created equal; some are healthy enough to have a chance of survival, and some are not."