President Bush Vetoes Bill That Would Expand Funding For Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Before today President Bush had never used the veto power of the president. Today he used that power to keep Congress from expanding the funding for embryonic stem cell research.

Read the President's veto message.

President bush held a press conference where families including many small children were present. He began his speech with this statement: "In this new era, our challenge is to harness the power of science to ease human suffering without sanctioning the practices that violate the dignity of human life,"

I was encouraged by this action by President Bush, though it does make me sad to think that could ever be a question as to how anyone would make that decision.

Focus on the Family holds a strong opposing position on the issue. Here is an excerpt from their Position Statement on Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research, dated
December 10, 2004.

Focus on the Family opposes stem cell research that destroys embryonic humans. In order for scientists to isolate and culture embryonic stem cells, a living, human embryo must be killed. It is never morally or ethically justified to kill one human being in order to help benefit another. By requiring the destruction of embryos, the tiniest human beings, embryonic stem cell research violates the medical ethic of "Do No Harm."

The White House has published a Fact Sheet on Embryonic Stem Cell Research

These embryos are fully human and fully alive. It is killing another person to destroy a human embryo. This tiny person has a soul, and every person who kills one of these will be held accountable to God.