ABC News' Jake Tapper is reporting that President Obama will move on Monday to lift former President Bush's ban on federal funding for research on embryonic stem cells.
"President Obama will hold an event at the White House in which he signs an executive order overturning the ban," Tapper says. "The announcement will be about 'restoring scientific integrity to health care policy,' an administration official tells ABC News."
Bush's order had allowed funding on research for stem cell lines already in use, but that proved to be much less valuable than he'd promised. He'd also vetoed efforts to lift the ban.
One side effect of Obama's move could be a political disadvantage for Democrats. Stem cells were the best social wedge issue Democrats had found, and it was one that proved to be pretty effective.
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