House OKs bills to expand stem cell research

Facing a high-profile threat of a presidential veto, the US House of Representatives has approved a measure to expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research beyond current limits and also backed a bill that advocates using federal money to study stem cells drawn from umbilical cord blood and adults. The bills now head to the Senate. On the funding side, a large number of Republicans joined Democrats in approving new research money by a vote of 238 to 194, a decisive win but not enough to overcome a presidential veto. The second measure passed with only one dissenting vote.

Political observers said that despite significant support for additional research funds, it appears that President Bush will hold the line against any revision of his order to restrict federal funding. "This bill would take us across a critical ethical line by creating new incentives for the ongoing destruction of emerging human life," the president said. "Crossing this line would be a great mistake."

- read this story from CNN for more on the showdown

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