(Senator) Harkin hopeful (bill to lift the) stem cell ban will pass this time

[sabra]

http://www.radioiowa.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=41D03BDC-1C67-464D-8BFC1AB44084E9CA&dbtranslator=local.cfm

Harkin hopeful stem cell ban will pass this time

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin is optimistic a bill to lift the ban on stem cell research will be one of the first to come out of the now Democrat-controlled Congress. President Bush vetoed the bill the first time around and Harkin, a democrat, says he's introducing the same bill again.

Harkin says he hopes the president will change his mind on the bill. Harkin says based on the vote last time, they would be one vote short in the Senate to override another veto. But Harkin says he thinks there are a lot of people who voted with the president last time, but saw what happened in the election and will give them the votes to override the veto.

Harkin isn't as sure about the possibility for overriding a veto in the House as he says he just doesn't know the answer to that question right now. Harkin says the outcome of the last election -- and the specter of the upcoming election -- may give the bill the boost it needs to pass.

Harkin says the stem cell issue was "a big undercurrent" in a lot of the races in the last election. Harkin says there are a lot of Republican senators up for election in two years that would probably like to change their vote on the stem cell bill to lift the ban on stem cell research.

[Beetwasher]

1. And I Think We Might Have the Votes To Override Chimpy's Veto

This time. Hopefully.