(Washington D.C.)- Using his power of the veto for the first time since taking office, President Bush today vetoed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, H.R. 810 - a bill that has passed both the House and Senate with broad bipartisan support. In reaction to the President's actions, the House of Representatives immediately exercised their constitutional right to take up of the bill with the goal of overriding the President's veto. U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak), who supported the measure originally, cast his vote to override the veto, which failed to get the two-thirds vote needed to override a presidential veto.  The House vote was 235 to 193. 

The following is U.S. Rep. Levin's full statement:

"This institution is often called the people's House and today I ask my colleagues to stand in the shoes of the millions of people dealing with incurable or debilitating diseases.  Diseases such as Juvenile Diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, or cancer.   Diseases that impact them every day ... their plans for the future.

"Let us stand with them today and vote to override the President's veto of the medical research that holds the potential to find a treatment to improve their lives, or, over time, a cure. 

"The U.S. House has approved this legislation.  The Senate has approved this legislation.  The reason the American people - 72 % of them in public surveys - support the federal government proceeding with this legislation is because in virtually every family there is a life experience with the need for medical breakthroughs.

"We can never guarantee the results of scientific research, but without it we guarantee there can be no results.

"The President's stem cell policy is not working.  Of the 78 existing stem cell lines permitted for use in federally funded research, only 22 of these lines are currently used for research, and many have raised concerns that these lines are genetically unstable, contaminated, and harder to work with than newer lines.  Research is practically at a standstill in this country.

"The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act is a well-crafted, bipartisan approach.  It is opposed with false arguments that divide Americans when what is involved is an expansion of research on embryonic stem cell lines derived from surplus embryos that were originally created for fertility treatments purposes, are in excess of clinical need and would otherwise be discarded, and have been donated by the individuals seeking fertility treatment through written consent and without any financial involvement.

"Let us override the President's veto and take these vitals steps to tap into the promise of research that has the potential to change the face of modern medicine as we know it today.  That is a human value that should not be undermined by the people's representatives," concluded U.S. Rep. Levin.

The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act would expand federal funding for enormously promising embryonic stem cell research, using embryos from fertility clinics that would otherwise be discarded. On May 24, 2005, the House passed the Castle-DeGette Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act - a bill that Democrats have been championing for years.  The bill was passed by a vote of 238 to 194, with 187 Democrats, 50 Republicans, and 1 Independent voting YES.  Yesterday, the Senate passed the Castle-DeGette bill by a vote of 63 to 37 - with 44 Democrats, 18 Republicans, and 1 Independent voting YES. Seventy-two percent of the American public supports expanded embryonic stem cell research.

Embryonic stem cell research has the potential to unlock the doors to treatments and cures to numerous diseases, including diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and spinal cord injuries. The nation's leading scientists, biomedical researchers, patient advocacy groups, and health organizations strongly support the Castle-DeGette bill, along with many religious leaders.

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