Specter seeks broad support in Senate to veto-proof stem cell vote News
Specter seeks broad support in Senate to veto-proof stem cell vote

[JURIST] Stem cell bill sponsor Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) [official website] said Sunday that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) [official website] gave his position a "a big boost" after changing his stance and supporting Specter's plan to ease restrictions on embryonic stem cell research [Frist statement] and provide it with more federal dollars for research. Though Specter acknowledged there is still not enough Senate support to trump a veto by President Bush, the architect of most stem cell restrictions, there may be the 67 senators needed to beat a veto when the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 [text] is voted on, possibly in September 2005. The bill passed the House in May but by less than the two-thirds margin needed to defeat a veto but Spector also believes Frist's support could induce enough House members to vote to override a Bush veto. AP has more.