House Increases Funding for Cord Blood Inventory, Maintains Registry Funding
Each year, the Congress provides funding to support the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program (Program), which the National Marrow Donor Program operates as Be The Match through a contract with the federal government. It also provides funds to support the collection and maintenance of cord blood units through the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI). These dollars help increase the number of marrow donors and cord blood units on the Be The Match Registry.
Each chamber of Congress drafts its own funding legislation. Then Members of Congress from the House and Senate meet to agree upon a single bill. Last month, we reported that the Senate legislation would keep funding at last year's levels: $22,109 million for the Program and $11,266 million for the NCBI. The House committee released its report earlier this month. It would maintain the same funding amount for the Program, but would increase the funding for the NCBI by $5 million.
The Congress must next reconcile, or reach agreement on, the differences between the two bills. This will occur in the coming months. Once they agree upon final numbers, the hope is that both the House and Senate will pass the bill before the end of the calendar year.
Thank you for your help and support in reaching out to the Congress to protect funding for the Program and NCBI.
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