Democrats Debate Action To Reverse Ban On Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 06 Jan 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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Democratic leaders are debating whether to use an executive order or draft more permanent legislation to reverse the Bush administration's 2001 restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, a top priority for congressional Democrats and President-elect Barack Obama, the New York Times reports. According to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and representatives for Obama, the "likely" course of action is an executive order by Obama to reverse the Bush policy, followed by a comprehensive congressional initiative to overturn the "more far-reaching" federal law limiting the research. Democrats say that it is "certain" that they will at least reverse the Bush policy and "open the way" for more federal funding for the research, according to the Times.

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) said the issue is "very divisive" and is a "tough way to start. You don't want to stumble out of the box." Increasing federal funding for stem cell research is a "popular" issue that has helped Democrats beat Republicans in previous elections, the Times reports. Democratic officials say they hope the "divisiveness" of the issue will be reduced by "framing the stem cell policy as more of a health care issue" rather than an abortion-related one.

However, the Times reports that many of the seats gained by congressional Democrats came in areas that are more conservative and that strategists estimate that as many as 70 seats could be up for competitive re-elections in 2010. The Times reports that the "potentially vulnerable lawmakers provide another consideration" for congressional leaders when they are deciding "whether to set an early test vote on what for some is a politically sensitive subject back home."

Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Penn.) said abortion-rights opponents "in both caucuses will fight strongly to preserve sanctity of life ethics. If they force it by legislation, those will be the votes the pro-life community will score to educate the voters as to where members stand on these issues."

Despite breakthroughs by researchers in the conversion of human skin cells into embryonic stem cells, stem cells from human embryos are "still very much needed" by researchers, the Times reports. The current ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research has allowed "only a small group" of researchers to work on those cells, and it is "likely" that more laboratories would become involved and "science would move forward faster" if the ban were lifted, the Times reports (Hulse, New York Times, 1/3).

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