Reps. Steil, Kooiman, Hummel, Stahl, Kahn, Gosselin, Hansen, Moolenaar, Walker, David Law, Farhat, Schuitmaker, Ball, Marleau, Casperson, Pavlov, Jones, Pearce, Caul, Dillon, Gleason, Gonzales, Kathleen Law, Meisner, Meyer, Newell, Polidori, Proos, Shaffer, Vander Veen and Zelenko offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 75.
A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States and the United States Department of Health and Human Services to move forward with the creation of a national cord blood stem cell bank.
Whereas, In discussion on stem cells in this country, one available resource has too often been overlooked – stem cells from umbilical cords. For example, a special type of stem cells known as hematopoietic progenitor cells have been successfully used for decades to reconstitute bone marrow and circulating blood cells in patients whose bone marrow has been damaged by chemotherapy or other underlying disease. Blood collected from the umbilical cords of recently delivered infants have proven advantages over other sources of these cells, such as adult donors. Stem cells found in the umbilical cord are less immunologically mature than other sources, which lessens the risk of rejection when transplanted. In addition, the collection of these cells poses minimal risk to the mother and infant. In some cases there are sufficient stem cells in one umbilical cord for a transplant to reconstitute bone marrow in a recipient; and
Whereas, Nearly 12,000 Americans a year search for a bone marrow donor. Of these, only a small fraction identifies a relative who is an acceptable match for a successful donation. All the others must rely on a transplant from a stranger. More than 9 million adults have voluntarily entered bone marrow donor registries worldwide. This number is not sufficient to find a match for everyone in need; and
Whereas, The current system for collecting and registering umbilical cord blood in the United States is fragmented, with at least 20 public banks operating across the country, one of which is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2004, the United States Congress appropriated $10 million to the Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration to establish a National Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank Program. Congress directed the Institute of Medicine to make recommendations to set up and operate the bank. In April 2005 the Institute of Medicine met its responsibility by issuing an extensive report with recommendations on how to make the current system work and expand it for the benefit of physicians and patients searching for matching donors; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States and the Department of Health and Human Services to take the steps necessary to create the national cord blood stem cell bank based on the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives members of the Michigan congressional delegation, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration.