Sens. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), respectively the chairman and senior Republican on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, included in the legislation that their colleagues on the full committee approved Thursday a provision that would have expanded the number of “lines” of embryonic stem cells scientists could study using federal funds through some legislative sleight of hand.
A day after President Bush vetoed broad legislation that would have significantly expanded such research, Harkin and Specter proposed allowing researchers to study all stem cell lines that had already been derived as of June 15, 2007, instead of August 9, 2001, the date set in President Bush’s original executive order restricting the promising but controversial research.
Harkin called the date set by the president “arbitrary,” set because that was the date on which Bush gave a speech on the subject, and noted that the change would expand the number of stem cell lines available by researchers by almost 400, up from the current 21, only some of which are of significant value.
Committee members overwhelmingly approved the bill by a vote of 26-3, but several Republicans said they would oppose the stem cell provision on the Senate floor. “Moving the date is the easy way out” of a contentious public policy debate that is dividing the country, said Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho.
G!d forbid (so to speak.) Trading one arbitrary date for a different, arbitrary date. Quel horreur!
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