As promised, Bush vetoed legislation to expand federal stem cell research. Sens. Pryor and Lincoln had voted for the bill. Lincoln’s statement on the veto:
“I am disappointed by the President’s decision today to deny those suffering from debilitating diseases the potential treatment and cure that could come from embryonic stem cell research. Scientists have long recognized the hope that this ethical and government-monitored research can bring for their patients who suffer from diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, and spinal cord injuries. I believe that whenever we have the power to heal the sick, we have a moral responsibility to do so. This legislation gave us the opportunity to fulfill our obligation to our fellow man under strict moral and ethical protections while restricting federal funding to only those stem cells from embryos that would otherwise be discarded.”