“I am asking the House to pass this bill to keep funding stem cell and bone marrow transplant programs.”

“Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5160) to reauthorize the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:”

“I support this bill. It keeps programs going that help patients find bone marrow and cord blood donors when their own families cannot donate. These transplants can save lives when other treatments fail.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5160, led by my colleagues Representatives Smith and Matsui to reauthorize the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory program. The C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program supports patients across the country with identifying matching and facilitating the distribution of bone marrow peripheral blood stem cells and cord blood donors for those who need blood stem cell transplants. This is critically important for those patients without a related family member who is unable to donate. For some patients, blood stem cell transplants are an opportunity for remission or even a cure when other treatments have failed. This bill ensures patients have access to these lifesaving opportunities. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It spends $280 million over five years to collect bone marrow and umbilical cord blood. These stem cells treat serious diseases like cancer and save lives.”

“Mr. Speaker, each year over 3.6 million babies are born in the United States. In the past, virtually every placenta and umbilical cord was tossed as medical waste. Today, doctors have turned this medical waste into medical miracles. Not only has God, in his infinite wisdom and goodness, created a placenta and an umbilical cord to nurture and protect the precious life of an unborn child, but now we know another gift awaits immediately after birth. Something very special is left behind: umbilical cord blood that is teeming with life-saving stem cells. Mr. Speaker, today the House will vote to reauthorize the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, a law that I authored 21 years ago. That law created a new nationwide umbilical cord blood stem cell program designed to collect, type, and cryogenically freeze cord blood units for transplantation into patients to mitigate and cure serious disease. The law also provided that cord blood stem cells be used for research. The new cord blood program was combined with an expanded bone marrow initiative, crafted over several years by our distinguished former colleague, Congressman Bill Young. Mr. Speaker, umbilical cord blood stem cells obtained after the birth of a child have proven to be highly efficacious in treating over 75 diseases, including lymphoma, leukemia, sickle cell disease, and other metabolic and immune deficiencies. I thank Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg of Duke University, an internationally renowned expert in pediatric hematology, oncology, and umbilical cord blood banking and transplantation. Dr. Kurtzberg helped draft our original law 26 years ago. It took 5 long years to enact it into law. It was blocked at many turns, but she was right there from the beginning and continues to be an extraordinary pioneer in the field. Earlier today, I called Dr. Kurtzberg--we do talk a lot--and she said cord blood has been used as a donor for transplant, enabling over 50,000 patients with cancer, blood disease, and other genetic conditions to have a life-saving treatment. Cord blood is also used as starting material for manufacturing immune effector cells, like CAR T cells, and others to treat patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases. She said there is exciting research now using cord blood to treat children with cerebral palsy, birth asphyxia, and autism. Mr. Speaker, the National Cord Blood Inventory--created by the original law and continued in this reauthorization--provides funding to public cord blood banks participating in the program to allow them to expand the national inventory of cord blood units that are available for transplant. These units are then listed on the registry by the National Marrow Donor Program. The funds appropriated thus far have led to an important increase in the use of these units. The registry now has approximately 121,000 available units. The program registry allows patients and physicians to locate matching cord blood units, as well as adult donors, for both marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplants. Mr. Speaker, the program registry allows patients and physicians to locate matching cord blood units, as well as adult a donors, for marrow and peripheral blood stem cells. The program is the world’s largest, most diverse donor registry, with more than 43 million potential marrow donors around the world. To date, NMDP, through its operation of the program, has facilitated over 150,000 transplants. The bill before us today, Mr. Speaker, authorizes $280 million for these programs over 5 years--$115 million for cord blood, $165 million for bone marrow programs--to ensure that thousands of present and future patients benefit from this extraordinary field of regenerative medicine. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply grateful to Chairman Guthrie for his amazing support and leadership in advancing the bill. I want to thank others, including my friend Frank Pallone; Doris Matsui, who is the prime Democrat cosponsor; Mr. Bilirakis, one of the originals and a great supporter; Ms. Pingree; Ms. Tenney; Mr. Mfume; and others. We have others, but they were the originals. I also want to thank some of my staff, including Rebecca West, Evan Heitman, John McDonough, who worked overtime--as you know, so many details to be attended to--and, of course, the Staff Director Megan Jackson; Emma Schultheis; and Jackie Weinrich, who worked on the Democrat side in helping to get this to the floor. I thank them all so much. Mr. Speaker, this will save lives, and I urge support for it.”

“I am letting the representative from Florida speak.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield such much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), a very important member of our committee and chairman of the Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It keeps programs running that help people with blood diseases find bone marrow and cord blood donors.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. I rise today in strong support of the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation that will save lives by ensuring continued access to stem cell, bone marrow, and cord blood transplants for patients across our Nation. Every year, thousands of Americans battling leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell disease, and other blood disorders rely on the C.W. Bill Young program to help find a compatible donor. For many patients, that match is their only chance at survival, Mr. Speaker. This legislation reauthorizes the program, modernizes the National Cord Blood Inventory, and strengthens our Nation’s transplant system to help ensure patients continue to have access to these lifesaving transplants. I am grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for working together to advance this important piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, Representative Smith of New Jersey has done an outstanding job over the years. He has done a great job leading this particular bill. He works on bills, Mr. Speaker, that positively directly affect our constituents. We appreciate him and the great chairman and, of course, Ranking Member Pallone. I urge my colleagues to pass this good piece of legislation.”