[Mb-civic] Specter Threatens an End Run To Get Vote on Stem Cell Bill - Washington Post

[William Swiggard]

Specter Threatens an End Run To Get Vote on Stem Cell Bill

By Rick Weiss
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 22, 2005; Page A05

With prospects dimming for a simple Senate vote on a bill to loosen 
President Bush's restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research, 
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) threatened yesterday to circumvent the 
political logjam by attaching the wording to the appropriations bill for 
the Department of Health and Human Services.

"I don't like to put it on an appropriations bill, but we waited long 
enough," a frustrated Specter told reporters in the Capitol. The 
strategy, he said, is a "fall-back position which I have avoided up 'til 
now."

<>Specter is a lead sponsor of a bill, passed by the House in May, that 
would allow taxpayer dollars to be used to conduct research on medically 
promising stem cells derived from embryos that are destined to be 
discarded by fertility clinics. Such cells are off-limits to federally 
funded scientists under the policy Bush set in 2001. The bill, which 
polls indicate has broad support and has been considered sure to pass in 
the Senate, could trigger a showdown with Bush, who has promised a veto.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/21/AR2005072102061.html?nav=hcmodule 

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