Catholic Fire

The Senate Finance Committee voted to restore $50 million a year in federal funding for abstinence-only education. One abstinence ed supporter said the action was a victory for “the hard work of grassroots” efforts. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) sponsored the measure, which passed over the objections of committee chairman Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.). All ten Republicans and two Democrats, Sens. Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, voted for the measure. Read the rest of  the story here.

Via Wesley J. Smith: Thanks to IPSCs, adult stem cell successes, and bounteous funding of ESCR via state and philanthropic sources, the Bush federal funding restrictions have (so far) barely registered as a campaign issue. And now, John McCain's campaign may be signaling that, in light of the many advances that have been made in these "alternative sources," he may be willing to take a second look at his earlier opposition to the Bush approach. From the story in the St. Louis Post Dispatch: Bob Heckman, director for conservative outreach for the McCain campaign, said that while McCain is "pro-life in his heart," his position on embryonic stem cell research funding "was a tough decision for him to make, like it is for many pro-life Catholics." Heckman said the senator continued to talk to bioethicists, including a recent meeting with Princeton professor Robert George, a Catholic conservative and member of the President's Council on Bioethics." ...