It is unlikely there will be debate on legislation (HR 810, S 471) that would expand federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research during an upcoming week of discussion that Republicans are calling "Health Week," the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said on Thursday, CQ HealthBeat reports (Crowley, CQ HealthBeat, 5/4). The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 -- which has been approved by the House but has stalled in the Senate -- would allow funding for research using stem cells derived from embryos originally created for fertility treatments and willingly donated by patients. President Bush on Aug. 9, 2001, announced a policy that allows federal funding for embryonic stem cell research only when it uses stem cell lines created on or before that date. Bush has threatened to veto the embryonic stem cell bill if it is passed by the Senate. Frist in October 2005 agreed to make consideration of the bill a priority when Congress reconvened in January 2006, according to Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 5/4). Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) last summer agreed to delay debate on the bill after Frist said he would bring the issue to the floor for debate. Frist in December 2005 instead proposed consideration of alternative legislation (HR 2520) that was signed into law later that month and encourages the use of stem cells that are taken from umbilical cords after the delivery of an infant, CQ HealthBeat reports. According to CQ HealthBeat, the measure was discussed "despite Harkin's request that [it] be considered only in tandem with HR 810." Forty Senate Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and Harkin, in a letter on Tuesday called on Frist to add the embryonic stem cell bill to the agenda when the Senate considers several other health-related bills that will be discussed during Health Week, which is could begin May 8 (CQ HealthBeat, 5/4).

Next Steps, Comments
Frist in an interview said he expects a vote on stem cell legislation this year, adding, "There are a lot of ideas percolating. ... I want there to be a respectful debate" (Kenen, Reuters, 5/4). The Democrats' letter suggested that the embryonic stem cell legislation should be considered with two other stem cell-related bills -- S 658, which was introduced by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and would ban human cloning for research and reproductive purposes, and S 1520, which was introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and would allow human cloning for research or therapeutic purposes but ban it for reproductive purposes. Harkin -- who is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, which is in charge of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill -- said he would attempt to add the bill to other legislation, including the appropriations bill, if the embryonic stem cell measure is not brought up for debate (CQ HealthBeat, 5/4).