At a press conference this morning overlooking the Capitol, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers called on Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to allow the Senate to vote on H.R. 2520 / S.1317 – The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act. Smith was joined by medical experts and doctors from around the country, patients – mostly children – that have been cured by cord blood infusion, and by Hall of Fame basketball star Julius "Dr. J" Erving – who has fought for expansion of this therapy with the CORDUS Corporation, a company focused upon providing proven high quality umbilical stem cell therapeutics to patients in need. 

    Smith’s bill, The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act (H.R. 2520)creates a new federal cord blood stem cell program, reauthorizes and expands the current federal bone marrow stem cell program, and establishes a new federally-funded data program with a single electronic access point so doctors and patients can research and tap into the therapy that is best suited to treat the life-threatening condition they are facing. This non-controversial bill has already passed the House by a vote of 431-1. It is ready to be brought to the floor of the Senate for a vote, but astoundingly remains dormant as patients wait for this life saving therapy.

    "We all came together this morning to respectfully but firmly call on the Senate to pass H.R. 2520 and S. 1317 to make umbilical cord stem cell treatments available as soon as possible to the many people who need them to live," said Smith, who has been championing this legislation for three years. "Delay is denial, especially for the sick who will not benefit from cord blood transplantation because the Senate inexplicably delayed.  More than four months have passed since the House overwhelmingly passed this bill. Make no mistake, for these sick children and adults, this is a matter of life or death." 

    Umbilical cords are a rich, non-controversial source of stem cells. Currently hospitals throw millions of them away each year because the infrastructure required to properly collect and store them is not available. Thousands have been successfully treated with cord blood stem cells for more than 67 diseases including Leukemia and Sickle Cell Anemia. The infusion of federal funds will make this medical miracle available to thousands more and will ensure that research continues so that this source of stem cells can treat many other debilitating diseases. 

    Julius Erving (Dr. J) flew to DC from Orlando– where he currently is Vice President of the Orlando Magic – specifically to participate in the press conference. Erving has worked with He spoke eloquently of the need to increase pass the bill which will increase the umbilical cord stem cell inventories and noted that minorities – whether African–American or Native-American, Asian or Hispanic – have a much lower chance to obtain a match within the current bone marrow and umbilical cord blood stem cell inventories. Currently, some minorities have less than a 50% chance of obtaining a potentially life saving transplant. Funds from the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act could raise the chance of any patient finding a match – regardless of their race – to 90%. Following his remarks, he surprised all of the patients (mostly children) in attendance with personalized autographed NBA basketballs.

    "Each year, thousands of Americans die who could be saved if larger and more diverse inventories of umbilical cord stem cells were in existence," noted Dr. J. "I came today to join Congressman Smith in asking the Senate to finish the job and pass this legislation and provide doctors the resources they need to treat the thousands of courageous patients in desperate need of help."