House rejects Catholic leaders, Bush on embryonic stem-cell research

Published: 2005-05-25

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Rejecting the advice of Catholic leaders and the threat of a veto by President George W. Bush, the House approved legislation May 24 to lift the president's restrictions on federal funding of stem-cell research involving the destruction of human embryos. But immediately after its 238-194 vote in favor of the Stem-Cell Research Enhancement Act, the House gave nearly unanimous approval to a bill promoting increased stem-cell research using umbilical cord blood, an area that Cardinal William H. Keeler of Baltimore called "indisputably acceptable on moral grounds and remarkably promising in terms of clinical benefits." The cardinal, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said in a letter to House members before the votes that, unlike the "false expectations" raised by embryonic stem-cell research, studies using umbilical cord blood retrieved immediately after live births had already shown results in treating more than 60 diseases.

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .