On the recordSeptember 28, 2010
Mr. President, I am pleased that the Senate is considering S. 3751, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2010 which reauthorizes the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005--P.L. 109-129--through the end of 2015. I am also grateful that Senators Dodd, Burr, Reed, Ensign, Franken and Coburn have joined me as sponsors of this bipartisan bill, which was unanimously approved by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the House Energy and Commerce Committee last week. S. 3751, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act, reauthorizes the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program--the Program--and the National Cord Blood Inventory program--NCBI. These programs maintain donor registries for individuals in need of bone marrow and umbilical cord blood transplants. Today, more than eight million Americans are registered bone marrow donors, and in the 5 years since NCBI was established, more than 28,600 cord blood units have been collected. Cord blood transplantation accounts for over 40 percent of all transplants in the country. I believe it is important for Senators to understand the specifics of S. 3751. Our bill reauthorizes the program through the end of Fiscal Year 2015. The authorization levels for the Program are $30 million from FY11 through FY14 and $33 million in FY15. The NCBI authorization levels are $23 million from FY11 through FY14 and $20 million in FY15.…





