The President who wouldn't veto budgets that cut from the neediest among us to pay for tax cuts for the rich, the President who wouldn't veto billion dollar handouts for Enron and Exxon, vetoed the next generation of medical breakthroughs and the hopes and dreams of men and women like Nancy Reagan and Michael J Fox. Democrats will not give up the fight for stem cell research. It is a fight America must win. We're going to press Republicans to override this veto--just as we pressed to get it to the Senate floor and just as we pressed to get this bill passed.

This should have been a day of hope for millions of Americans. Democrats listened to the American people, and through our persistence overcame Republican delays to pass critical stem cell legislation. Unfortunately, in less than 24 hours, President Bush defied the will of the American people and crushed the hopes of millions who suffer from serious and debilitating diseases like cancer, Diabetes, Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's and Parkinson's. The need for a new direction in America has never been clearer.