With a vote of 247/176/10, the House has voted to pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007. The breakdown is about as you would expect, with the majority of the yes vote being Democratic (210), joined by 37 Republicans. The 160 Republicans voting no were joined by 16 Democrats, while 6 Democrats and 4 Republicans didn’t vote.

Unfortunately, it will probably be a short-lived victory, as Democratic leaders have acknowledged that they do not have votes necessary to override Bush. For his part, Bush has said that recent stem cell news has reinforced his conviction that stem cell science can progress in ethical ways without using embryonic stem cells, and that he will veto the bill when it hits his desk.

-Kelly Hills