[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 178 (Wednesday, December 9, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S8560]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     STEM CELL THERAPEUTIC AND RESEARCH REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2015

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 311, H.R. 2820.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 2820) to reauthorize the Stem Cell Therapeutic 
     and Research Act of 2005, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause 
and insert in lieu thereof the following:

                               H.R. 2820

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Stem Cell Therapeutic and 
     Research Reauthorization Act of 2015''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE C.W. BILL YOUNG CELL 
                   TRANSPLANTATION PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Section 379(d)(2)(B) of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 274k(d)(2)(B)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``remote collection'' and inserting 
     ``collection''; and
       (2) by inserting ``including remote collection,'' after 
     ``cord blood units,''.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 379B of the 
     Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 274m) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``$30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 
     through 2014 and''; and
       (2) by inserting ``and $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2016 through 2020'' before the period at the end.
       (c) Secretary Review on State of Science.--The Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Director 
     of the National Institutes of Health, the Commissioner of the 
     Food and Drug Administration, and the Administrator of the 
     Health Resources and Services Administration, including the 
     Advisory Council on Blood Stem Cell Transplantation 
     established under section 379(a) of the Public Health Service 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 274k(a)), and other stakeholders, where 
     appropriate given relevant expertise, shall conduct a review 
     of the state of the science of using adult stem cells and 
     birthing tissues to develop new types of therapies for 
     patients, for the purpose of considering the potential 
     inclusion of such new types of therapies in the C.W. Bill 
     Young Cell Transplantation Program (established under such 
     section 379) in addition to the continuation of ongoing 
     activities. Not later than June 30, 2019, the Secretary shall 
     submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
     Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and 
     Commerce of the House of Representatives recommendations on 
     the appropriateness of such new types of therapies for 
     inclusion in the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation 
     Program.

     SEC. 3. CORD BLOOD INVENTORY.

       Section 2 of the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 
     2005 (42 U.S.C. 274k note) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``one-time'';
       (2) by striking subsection (c);
       (3) by redesignating subsections (d) through (h) as 
     subsections (c) through (g), respectively;
       (4) in subsection (d) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraphs (2) and 
     (3)'' and inserting ``paragraphs (2), (3), and (4)'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``subsection (d)'' and 
     inserting ``subsection (c)''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Consideration of best science.--The Secretary shall 
     take into consideration the best scientific information 
     available in order to maximize the number of cord blood units 
     available for transplant when entering into contracts under 
     this section, or when extending a period of funding under 
     such a contract under paragraph (2).
       ``(5) Consideration of banked units of cord blood.--In 
     extending contracts pursuant to paragraph (3), and 
     determining new allocation amounts for the next contract 
     period or contract extension for such cord blood bank, the 
     Secretary shall take into account the number of cord blood 
     units banked in the National Cord Blood Inventory by a cord 
     blood bank during the previous contract period, in addition 
     to consideration of the ability of such cord blood bank to 
     increase the collection and maintenance of additional, 
     genetically diverse cord blood units.'';
       (5) in subsection (f) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) by striking paragraph (4); and
       (B) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs 
     (4) and (5), respectively; and
       (6) in subsection (g) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by striking ``$23,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 
     through 2014 and''; and
       (ii) by inserting ``and $23,000,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2016 through 2020'' before the period at the end; and
       (B) by striking paragraph (2).

     SEC. 4. DETERMINATION ON THE DEFINITION OF HUMAN ORGAN.

       Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue 
     determinations with respect to the inclusion of peripheral 
     blood stem cells and umbilical cord blood in the definition 
     of human organ.

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as 
amended, be read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider 
be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was 
agreed to.
  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed, and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill was read the third time.
  The bill (H.R. 2820), as amended, was passed.

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