Demos to push a stem-cell vote

WASHINGTON — Within days of taking over Congress next month, Democrats plan to challenge President Bush on the only legislation he ever vetoed: a bill expanding stem-cell research.

The legislation sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., will resurface on the House floor as early as the first day of the new Congress. The issue is on a slate of priorities Democrats view as popular with voters.

Bush vetoed the bill expanding federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research after it passed the Senate in July by a 63-37 vote and the House in 2005 by 238-194.

Advocates of embryonic stem-cell research say it offers hope for breakthrough cures and treatments for a number of diseases. Opponents object to the destruction of human embryos involved in the research.

Backers of the measure believe passage in the new Congress is likely, saying November's election sent to Washington many lawmakers who support the measure. DeGette said she's finding more House yes votes now than in 2005.

But turning the legislation into law won't be easy for its backers. Bush's veto power still looms. Overriding that would require a two-thirds majority, still a high hurdle to surmount.

That's forcing backers to develop new strategies, such as trying to pass the bill repeatedly and forcing Bush to confront it each time. Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi supports that idea, DeGette said.

In the Senate, there is talk of adding new provisions to DeGette's bill to make it more difficult for Bush to veto.

Republicans who support a change in the law on stem-cell research, meanwhile, are attempting to negotiate a compromise with the White House. So far Bush has refused those overtures.

"When the president won't sit down and talk about it, we really are left with no other option but to keep putting it on his desk and saying the American people want it," DeGette said. "I'm going to do it until it passes."

DeGette's legislation would overturn Bush's restriction that limits federal funding to research done on embryonic stem-cell lines in existence on Aug. 9, 2001. DeGette's bill would allow research on more recent lines that use embryos created for in vitro fertilization and are due to be discarded.

Asked if Bush would veto the bill each time it's put in front of him, the White House reiterated the president's position.