Cord Blood and Bone Marrow Bill Co-Sponsors Applaud House Passage, Urge President to Sign

Press Release

Senator Orrin Hatch, member and former chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, along with co-sponsors Senators Richard Burr, R-N.C., Franken, D-Minn., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., issued the following statement after the House passed the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Authorization Act of 2015, sending the bill to the President's desk for his signature.

"Reauthorization of this significant, life-saving bill will advance the important work of the bone marrow and cord blood programs to promote new discoveries within the fields of cellular therapy and regenerative medicine," said Sen. Hatch. "Enacting this bill will also reaffirm the commitment that Congress made three decades ago to help patients with blood cancers and other life-threatening diseases by increasing access to life-saving transplants."

"I am pleased the Senate passed this bill, which builds upon the highly successful National Marrow Donor Program that has been a lifeline for thousands of transplant patients over the last thirty years. I applaud Senator Hatch for his bipartisan leadership on this issue," said Sen. Reed. "Bone marrow and cord blood transplants continue to offer effective treatments for a number of diseases and disorders, and passing this legislation marks a critical step forward in expanding access to lifesaving therapies to millions of patients with conditions that can be treated and even cured with bone marrow or cord blood."

"I am pleased to see that the House took action on this important legislation that can help save and improve the lives of patients who suffer from serious disorders," said Sen. Burr. "This critical research is saving lives and bringing these therapies to families across the nation, and we must build on these efforts in order to meet the needs of patients in the future."

"Bone marrow and cord blood transplants support tens of thousands of Americans facing devastating diseases like leukemia and lymphoma," said Sen. Franken. "This bill will ensure that the National Bone Marrow Donor Program, which is located in Minnesota, remains strong so that children and adults can access these life-saving transplants when they need them most. I'm pleased we got this measure finished, and I look forward to the President signing it into law."