John Reed (D-RI)
Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 443.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2026, extends and updates the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005. It provides funding for the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program through 2031. The bill changes how the National Cord Blood Inventory is managed, moving from a specific unit goal to a "sufficient supply" as determined by the Secretary. It also allows the Secretary to transfer units from non-operational or non-compliant banks to other qualified entities. Additionally, it requires periodic reviews of the state of science regarding high-quality cord blood units and emergent technologies.
Yes· 3 of 19
- Scored +8
Does this put more money into medical research?
Provides significant funding and mandates reviews of the state of science regarding stem cell technology.
- Scored +8
Does this put more money into scientific research?
Reauthorizes funding for stem cell research and requires periodic scientific reviews.
- Scored +7
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
Increases availability and funding for high-quality cord blood units used in life-saving transplantations.
The opposite
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?
The bill allocates additional federal spending for the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program through 2031.
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill increases funding for stem cell research and transplantation programs.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Increased Funding for Transplantation: The bill provides $33,009,000 for each fiscal year from 2027 through 2031 for the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program (Section 2).
- Ensuring Unit Availability: The Secretary can transfer cord blood units from banks that are no longer operational or do not meet quality standards to other qualified banks to ensure they remain available (Section 3, subsection e).
- Improved Inventory Quality: The Secretary is tasked with managing the National Cord Blood Inventory to maximize clinical utility and ensure genetic diversity (Section 3, subsection f).
- Updating Scientific Standards: The bill mandates periodic reviews of the state of science regarding high-quality cord blood units and other emergent technologies (Section 4).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Removal of Specific Inventory Goals: The bill replaces the specific goal of collecting "at least 150,000 new units of high-quality cord blood" with a more vague "sufficient supply" as determined by the Secretary (Section 3, subsection a).
- Secretary's Discretion on Storage: The Secretary now has the power to make determinations about the continued storage or the "disposition" of cord blood units based on their own determinations of what is appropriate (Section 3, subsection f).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — Directly affects newborn health through cord blood inventory and transplantation research. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Explicit focus on genetic diversity in cord blood inventory helps minority populations find matches. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Explicit focus on genetic diversity in cord blood inventory helps minority populations find matches. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Increases federally funded medical resources and accessibility to transplants. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Explicit focus on genetic diversity in cord blood inventory helps minority populations find matches. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Increases federally funded medical resources and accessibility to transplants. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Increases federally funded medical resources and accessibility to transplants. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Explicit focus on genetic diversity in cord blood inventory helps minority populations find matches. Would white Americans be better off under this? — Increases general availability of life-saving medical treatments. Would women be better off under this? — Provides systemic support for the management of maternal birthing tissues (cord blood). Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Improves medical options for those requiring stem cell treatments. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Potentially improves treatments for various blood-related disorders and diseases. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Improves medical options for those requiring stem cell treatments. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Improves medical options for those requiring stem cell treatments.
- Healthcare
- Does this put more money into medical research? — Provides significant funding and mandates reviews of the state of science regarding stem cell technology. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Increases availability and funding for high-quality cord blood units used in life-saving transplantations.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — Reauthorizes funding for stem cell research and requires periodic scientific reviews.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Increases the Secretary's discretionary power over the disposition and transfer of cord blood units.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill explicitly directs the Secretary to ensure genetic diversity within the National Cord Blood Inventory.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill increases funding for stem cell research and transplantation programs. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — The bill allocates additional federal spending for the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program through 2031.
- 6/22/2026
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Cassidy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 443.
- 6/17/2026
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 3/17/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1093)
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
James LankfordRepublican · Oklahoma
Tim ScottRepublican · South Carolina
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota