Nearly four years ago, when Bush finalized his restrictive policy on stem-cell research, he told reporters, “I laid out the policy I think is right for America, and I’m not going to change my mind.” Congress may have overlooked this pledge, because a bipartisan group of lawmakers — which continues to grow — appears ready to challenge Bush with an important piece of legislation.
Now, the once solid ground that Bush staked out almost four years ago is crumbling beneath him, and he will probably soon find himself once again in the middle of an argument that he had declared settled. As early as next week, the Republican-controlled House — the same House that held a Palm Sunday session so that it could deliver a lifeline to Terri Schiavo — is expected to consider legislation that could dramatically expand the number of stem-cell “lines” available to federally funded research by making accessible tens of thousands of embryos that have been created through in vitro fertilization.
The bill contains a number of safeguards aimed at ensuring that it would apply only to embryos that would otherwise have been discarded. It stipulates that the embryos must have been created by individuals seeking fertility treatment and who then discovered that they had produced “in excess of the clinical need.” It also requires that those donors give permission for the embryos to be used in stem-cell research, and forbids them from receiving any compensation.
Does the bill have a shot? You bet it does.
With 199 co-sponsors, supporters of the bill are confident that they have enough votes to pass it when leadership brings it to the floor this month, furthering the possibility that this legislation will become the first veto of President Bush’s tenure in the White House.
In the Senate, a companion bill has 28 co-sponsors, but a recent head-count points to 58 supporters.
Which leads, once again, to two questions: what will the far right do to stop the legislation and what will the president do if it reaches his desk?
As for the prior, the far-right is in panic mode. Focus on the Family, which has learned a vote could come in the House “sometime over the next two weeks,” is lobbying aggressively to keep Republicans in line. Far-right House members, led by Reps. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) and Mike Pence (R-Ind.), are circulating “Dear Colleague” letters in the hopes of slowing the bill’s momentum.
But even they are acknowledging the legislation has the support it needs to pass, so they’ll count on Bush to issue the first veto of his presidency. The White House, meanwhile, says it’s standing firm on the issue.
Opponents of embryonic-stem-cell research say they have received private assurances from the White House that the President will stay true to his word, and they are working to get enough votes on their side so that the veto cannot be overturned. Meanwhile, White House aides are huddling with some congressional leaders to come up with an alternative measure of some kind that, in the words of one, would “reflect the President’s priorities” — and give Republicans political cover for voting against a popular cause.
But they say there should be no mistake about where Bush stands. “When the time comes, if it is necessary, we will make it clear that this violates the President’s position,” says a senior official. “The wall is firm. No question about it.”
To which I say: maybe.
Technically, Bush already sort of flip-flopped on this issue once. In 2001, when he crafted the now-controversial policy, Bush was already breaking his word to the far right — he promised during the 2000 campaign that he’d block all federal funding of stem-cell research, which wasn’t exactly consistent with the 2001 policy.
Nevertheless, it’s hard to say for sure what Bush would do if the bill reached his desk. The bill would enjoy bi-partisan support, the polls would show that it’s popular with the public, and Nancy Reagan would probably be on Larry King Live expressing her support for the legislation. All the while, the president who has seen his approval rating slip badly might be looking for a little something to boost his image with voters. He’d infuriate the Dobson crowd if he signed the bill, but if memory serves, Bush can’t run for another term anyway, so maybe, just maybe, he’d risk the religious right’s ire.
It could get interesting. Stay tuned.