Political Quotes

“The National Bone Marrow Donor Registry Reauthorization Act offers significant improvements to a very successful public health initiative. Tragically, Americans in need of lifesaving bone marrow transplants often face daunting odds. In fact, the chance of finding a compatible unrelated donor is only about one in 20,000. As the largest and most diverse list of potential donors, the registry is America's best chance to improve those odds. With a database of roughly 4 million potential donors, it offers hope to the thousands of Americans diagnosed every year with blood, metabolism or immune system disorders. The registry has facilitated over 14,000 transplants since 1987, but there is much work that needs to be done. The legislation before us today permits that work to continue and expand with enhanced efforts to educate the general public about the registry, as well as significant outreach to minority populations. The bill also creates important new authority to apply the knowledge gained in treating marrow diseases to the task of preparing the Nation for radiological and chemical attacks.”