US Senate Votes to Lift Ban on Federal Funding of Stem Cell Research

The U.S. Senate has voted to lift a key restriction by President Bush on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

Lawmakers passed the legislation Wednesday in a 63-to-34 vote. But the tally fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.

President Bush used the first veto of his presidency last year on similar stem cell legislation. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Mr. Bush will also veto this latest bill because it crosses what the president has called "a moral line."

In a statement after the vote, President Bush said federal funds should not be used to "destroy, harm or create living human embryos" for research.

Democratic Senator Tom Harkin, the chief sponsor of the bill, urged Mr. Bush to reconsider his veto threat. Harkin said the bill would allow scientists to find cures for devastating illnesses.

美国参议院投票批准解除布什总统对利用联邦资金进行胚胎干细胞研究的一项重大限制。

参议员星期三以63票赞成、34票反对通过决议，但未达到推翻总统否决所需要的三分之二多数票。

布什总统去年首次动用总统否决权，否决了类似的一项干细胞法案。白宫发言人达娜.佩里诺说，布什总统打算也否决这项新法案，因为法案超越了布什总统所说的“道德界线”。

参院投票后布什总统发表声明说，联邦资金不应该通过“摧毁、损害或是制造人类活胚胎”进行研究。

这项法案的主要发起人、民主党参议员汤姆.哈金敦促布什重新考虑要否决法案的威胁。哈金说，这项法案将有助科学家为很多严重疾病找到治愈办法。