US President Barack Obama will tomorrow wipe out another contentious aspect of his predecessor George W. Bush’s legacy by removing curbs on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research.
The president will sign an executive order reversing a policy that critics say has hampered the fight into finding treatments for grave diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes, a senior administration official said.
The official would not divulge the exact wording of the order, but confirmed, on condition of anonymity, that it would be in line with Obama’s campaign vow to restore funding to embryonic stem-cell research.
The move will spark delight among scientists who have long campaigned for the Bush policy to be overturned, but was already running into fire from social conservatives and right-to-life groups.
Obama spelled out his campaign policy on stem-cell research last August in a list of answers to the Science Debate 2008 scientific lobby group.
“I strongly support expanding research on stem cells,” Obama wrote. “I believe that the restrictions that President Bush has placed on funding of human embryonic stem-cell research have handcuffed our scientists and hindered our ability to compete with other nations.”
Reports about Obama’s plans for tomorrow were immediately condemned by Family Research Council president Tony Perkins.
“Today’s news that President Obama will open the door to direct taxpayer funds for embryonic stem-cell research that encourages the destruction of human embryos is a slap in the face to Americans who believe in the dignity of all human life,” Perkins said.
John Boehner, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives said government money should be used to fund alternative stem-cell research that does not involve destroying an embryo.
“Republicans enthusiastically support adult, cord blood, and pluripotent stem cell research that have shown so much promise in recent years,” Boehner said. “The question is whether taxpayer dollars should be used to subsidize the destruction of precious human life. Millions of Americans strongly oppose that, and rightfully so.”
Bush barred federal funding for work on new lines of stem cells derived from human embryos in 2001, allowing research only on a small number of embryonic stem-cell lines that existed at that time.
He also several times vetoed legislation passed by Congress backing the research.
Obama reportedly told Democratic lawmakers shortly after his inauguration in January that he would guarantee lifting Bush-era restrictions on federal funding for stem-cell research.
“Barack Obama and [US Vice President] Joe Biden believe that we owe it to the American public to explore the potential of stem cells to treat the millions of people suffering from debilitating and life-threatening diseases,” his campaign said last year.
Bush argued that using human embryos for scientific research — which often involves their destruction — crossed a moral barrier and urged scientists to consider other alternatives.
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