The Washington Post: Obama Reverses Bush Policy on Stem Cell Research

President Obama lifted the eight-year-old ban on federal funding forembryonic stem cell research yesterday, putting the weight of hisoffice, he said, on the side of scientists who believe "these tinycells may have the potential to help us understand, and possibly cure,some of our most devastating diseases.

President Obama lifted the eight-year-old ban on federal funding forembryonic stem cell research yesterday, putting the weight of hisoffice, he said, on the side of scientists who believe "these tinycells may have the potential to help us understand, and possibly cure,some of our most devastating diseases."

The executive ordermarks the third time in his young administration that Obama hasreversed Bush-era policies at the intersection of public-health goalsand ethical questions about the nature of human life. The presidentpreviously -- and without public ceremony -- lifted the prohibition onU.S. funding for international groups that promote abortion andproposed rescinding job protections for health-care workers who declineto carry out procedures that conflict with their moral beliefs.

Obama acted more publicly Monday in moving to allow federal funding forembryonic stem cell research, fulfilling a campaign pledge on an issuethat is popular with Democrats and divides Republicans. In signing theorder and a second memo designed to wall off scientific research frompolitical influences, Obama said a majority of Americans supportlifting the federal funding ban, which would allow researchers to beginusing hundreds of already-created embryonic stem cell lines for work oncures for cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's and other illnesses.

The president, speaking to an exuberant crowd gathered in the East Roomof the White House, cast the decision as a clear departure from theBush administration, often accused of using selective scientificfindings to support its ideological views on climate change,health-care decisions, and other issues. Obama said, "Promoting scienceisn't just about providing resources -- it's also about protecting freeand open inquiry."

"It's about letting scientists like thosewho are here today do their jobs free from manipulation or coercion,and listening to what they tell us, even when it's inconvenient --especially when it's inconvenient," Obama said to applause.

During his campaign, Obama promised to make scientific innovation aguiding principle of his administration, and he has tapped accomplishedmembers of the scientific community for senior advisory positions. Thewithering economy has consumed much of his agenda so far, but politicalanalysts say he has been careful not to ignore campaign pledges onsocial issues currently on the edges of the national debate that werenonetheless central to his election.

"He is workingsystematically through these various things, some of which, like thisone, are not essential to the immediate issues of the day but getrolled out to fulfill his commitments and connect with his electoralbase," said Mark A. Peterson, a professor of public policy andpolitical science at the UCLA School of Public Affairs. "I think it'sall very orchestrated, and there's probably, and I'm only guessing onthis, a schedule of working through these items."

Embryonicstem cells are particularly valuable to researchers because they candevelop into any type of cell in the body. But many socialconservatives oppose using the cells for research because they areextracted from days-old human embryos, a practice that, while alreadypermitted in private fertility clinics and research centers, will nowbe eligible for billions of dollars in federal funding.

In hisremarks to an audience that included people in wheelchairs and othersusing guide dogs, Obama said, "In recent years, when it comes to stemcell research, rather than furthering discovery, our government hasforced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moralvalues. In this case, I believe the two are not inconsistent."

In August 2001, President George W. Bush limited federal funding forembryonic stem cell research to the 21 stem cell lines in existence atthe time. Although he acknowledged the research value, Bush said that"extracting the stem cell destroys the embryo, and thus destroys itspotential for life."

"Like a snowflake, each of these embryosis unique, with the unique genetic potential of an individual humanbeing," Bush said in a nationally televised speech that offered asummary of his personal ethical debate on the subject.

Anti-abortion groups and some conservative Republican lawmakersdenounced Obama's order on ethical and practical grounds. Scientificadvances have helped transform regular adult cells into ones thatresemble embryonic stem cells, and Obama said his administration wouldsupport those initiatives.

Rep. Eric Cantor (Va.), the HouseRepublican whip, said in a statement that "today's action is aboutforcing taxpayers to fund ethically troublesome -- and unproven --research that destroys life."

"Nearly every American supportscontinued stem cell research, and Republicans laud the miraculousinnovations made in ethical and sensible adult stem cell research," hesaid. "Unfortunately, today the administration wasted an opportunity tounite our country around these ethically and scientifically soundinnovations by allowing the use of taxpayer money forembryo-destructive stem cell research, which millions of Americans findmorally reprehensible."

In a Washington Post-ABC News pollconducted in January, 59 percent of adults surveyed said they supportedloosening the restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cellresearch. Forty percent of Republicans supported reversing the ban.

"I think this research holds out the greatest scientific promise rightnow than that of any other field," said Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah),an opponent of abortion rights who attended the signing ceremony."There are some deeply held moral concerns involved. On the other hand,I take the position that being pro-life means caring for the living aswell as the unborn."

In his remarks, Obama acknowledged that"many thoughtful and decent people are conflicted about, or stronglyoppose, this research." He said, "As a person of faith, I believe weare called to care for each other and to work to ease human suffering."

Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), who co-authored legislation twice vetoedby Bush that would have expanded the federal role in stem cellresearch, said the House would move "quickly" to pass a bill in thehopes of turning Obama's executive order into law.

DeGettealso said she has talked with the House Democratic leadership aboutbeginning a review of other limits on how federal money can be spent onembryonic stem cell research. One 13-year-old rule, known as theDickey-Wicker Amendment, prohibits researchers from using public moneyto create human embryos.

"We need to take a new look at that amendment and put a number of other issues on the table," DeGette said.