Sens. Scott, Reed introduce bill offering hope for life-saving research and life-enhancing treatments and care

Scott, Reed, Smith, and Lankford offer bill to reauthorize and strengthen the National Marrow Donor Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory.
WASHINGTON— In an effort to help thousands of patients suffering from diseases requiring bone marrow and cord blood transplants, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced theStem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2026. This bill will advance medical research, improve patient outcomes, and ensure that America’s bone marrow transplantation program and the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI) can continue saving lives and providing treatments and therapies derived from adult stem cell lines. Sens. Tina Smith (D-MN) and James Lankford (R-OK) also joined the bill as original cosponsors.
Specifically, the legislation would reauthorize the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program. The bill would renew, through 2031, federal programs for using bone marrow and umbilical cord blood to treat diseases and conduct research. It would make up to $280 million available, over a five-year period, pending appropriations, to help individuals diagnosed with diseases such as leukemia and lymphomas, sickle cell anemia, and rare genetic blood disorders find suitable bone marrow or umbilical cord blood donors. Without congressional action, these programs would expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
Approximately $115 million would be authorized for the NCBI program, which has cumulatively banked more than 122,500 cord blood units for life-saving treatments.
The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) operates the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and has impacted more than 140,000 lives through cell therapy. Donating stem cells through the NMDP can save the life of someone battling blood cancer or another serious disorders.
“For patients and families facing life-threatening diseases like sickle cell anemia, bone marrow and cord blood transplants can offer a cure and a second chance at life. The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2026 ensures that these life-saving programs continue to connect patients with donors across the country. I’m proud to support this legislation to deliver hope to families while building on programs that have already saved tens of thousands of lives,”said Sen. Scott.
“Ultimately, this is all about helping patients and families in their time of need as they face unimaginable circumstances. It provides direct support to these critical institutions that do incredible research, match donors and patients, help save lives, and improve health outcomes,”said Sen. Reed.“Our bipartisan bill builds upon the highly successful National Marrow Donor Program that has been a lifeline for thousands of transplant patients over the last two decades. Bone marrow and cord blood transplants continue to offer effective treatments for a number of diseases and disorders. This bipartisan bill would help expand access to lifesaving therapies to patients with conditions that can be treated and even cured with bone marrow or cord blood.”
Companion legislation (H.R.5160) has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ-04).
There are three ways to donate blood stem cells: through transplants of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC), bone marrow, and umbilical cord blood that is donated after a baby’s birth.
More information about the transplant process and need for stem cell and marrow donors is available at:www.bloodstemcell.hrsa.gov
Full text of the bill can be foundhere.
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