Clinton pledges to end Bush's 'war on science'

Speaking at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington last week, Hilary Clinton, who is running for Democrat presidential candidate, laid down her vision of a Clinton presidency in which scientific progress is placed firmly back on the agenda. In her speech, timed to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of the launch of the Russian satellite, Sputnik, Clinton outlined her plans to undo what she has dubbed President Bush's 'war on science'. 'When I am president, I will end this assault on science,' she told the crowd - 'For six-and-a-half years under this president, it's been open season on open inquiry. By ignoring or manipulating science, the Bush administration is letting our economic competitors get an edge in the global economy'.

Clinton proposed that she would fund 'ethical embryonic stem cell research', something that Bush has restricted to cell lines created before 9 August 2001, and has twice vetoed legislation passed to undo this prohibition. 'I will lift the current ban on ethical stem cell research,' Clinton said, adding that the prohibition 'amounts to a ban on hope'. She cited economic fears that US scientists are being pushed abroad by the restrictive climate set by President Bush, warning that, 'some of our brightest minds are going to head overseas to do their research'. Al Teich, of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, praised Clinton's objectives. 'The point was about how difficult it is to do that kind of research now because of the need to create these separations', he said. 'She understood this issue, and this is of considerable concern to many scientists.'

In addition to her pledge to fund embryonic stem cell research, Clinton proposed to restore the Office of Technology Assessment, closed under the Bush Administration. Its role was, according to its archive website, 'to provide Congressional members and committees with objective and authoritative analysis of the complex scientific and technical issues of the late 20th century'.