 |
 |
Sunday July 15, 10:50 am Eastern Time Press Release DeLay, Armey Warn They'll Block U.S. Funding for Stem-Cell Research With Amendment Even if Bush Drops Ban; 'We'll Treat It Like Federal Funding of Abortion,' Delay Says Majority Whip Says Bush Told Him He Will Do 'What His Heart Believes' NEW YORK, July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- If President George W. Bush opts to drop the ban on controversial funding for stem-cell research, Republican Majority Whip Tom DeLay and House majority leader Dick Armey tell Newsweek they will seek to bar such funding by amending appropriations bills. ``We'll treat it like federal funding of abortion, putting a 'Hyde Amendment' on it,'' DeLay says in the July 23 issue of Newsweek (on newsstands Monday, July 16), referring to the amendment that prevents any federal funding of abortion. President Bush met privately with DeLay late last week in the Cabinet Room for a heart-to-heart on the stem-cell issue. ``He looked me in the eye and told me he'd do what he thought was right, what his heart believes,'' DeLay tells Chief Political Correspondent Howard Fineman. ``I think he will,'' he added. DeLay also outlined for Newsweek his own political agenda, that may not always coincide with the softer conservatism of the president. Fineman reports that despite a shrinking surplus, DeLay wants another round of tax cuts, and will try to attach them to upcoming bills on energy, faith-based social services and the minimum wage. And he also claims to have the votes to sanction drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. With the administration coming up to its six-month anniversary this week, Fineman also reports that the president's senior adviser, Karl Rove convened a dinner last week with Republican polltakers from inside and outside the Beltway to discuss Bush's standings in the polls, following a dip in his popularity according to a New York Times poll. The event, at a private room at Sam & Harry's steakhouse in Washington, was as much a support group as a scientific inquiry, participants tell Newsweek. Rove, who wanted to hear the latest on public opinion, also wanted to make sure his GOP professional allies agreed with him that the president was doing fine. Over thick steaks and fine wine, they happily obliged. ``We had a lot of laughs at the expense of the Times,'' said one participant. (Read Newsweek news releases at http://www.Newsweek.MSNBC.com. Click "Pressroom.") SOURCE: Newsweek http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010715/nysu002a.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn