Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. REED. Mr. President, today the Senate passed the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2010. I was pleased to have been involved in the crafting of this bill, which is the product of months of bipartisan discussions, collaboration, and negotiation. I also want to recognize the hard work and dedication of Senators Dodd, Hatch, Burr, and Ensign in getting this bill across the finish line in the Senate.

This bill offers promise to the tens of thousands of individuals diagnosed with leukemia and lymphomas, sickle cell anemia, and rare genetic blood disorders.

It will reauthorize the C.W. Bill Young National Marrow Donor Program, which has been helping to connect individuals in need of a bone marrow transplant with donors since 1986, and the National Cord Blood Inventory, which has been helping to connect individuals in need of an umbilical cord blood transplant with donors since 1999.

I am particularly pleased that the bill will remove a cap on the number of cord blood units that could be stored by qualified cord blood banks in the National Cord Blood Inventory. The original law limited the number to 150,000 units. As the science has evolved, we know that 150,000 is nowhere near the amount necessary to meet the demands of those in need of a cord blood transplant. And, in eliminating this cap, I am pleased that we have included provisions to encourage greater cord blood donation and collection as well as provisions to help shed light onto the obstacles to greater donation and collection.

I am proud that the Rhode Island Blood Center has contributed to the success of the National Marrow Donor Program with over 61,000 registered marrow donors. In addition, last year a new partnership formed between the Rhode Island Blood Bank and Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, RI, to begin collecting umbilical cord blood units as part of a pilot project. Over 1,000 units have already been collected, and I look forward to the time when Rhode Island will be contributing to the National Cord Blood Inventory.

The public registries made up of Rhode Island donors and those from all over the country have been a true lifeline for the Americans who have found an unrelated match. By strengthening and enhancing the important programs operating these registries, many more Americans will be afforded the opportunity to find a match if they are ever in need.

I look forward to swift passage of this legislation in the House of Representatives and the President signing this bill into law shortly thereafter.

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