Congress Reauthorizes Program Named After Bill Young

This week, the U.S. House voted to reauthorize the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program for 5 years and $30 million and agreed to send $23 million to the National Cord Blood Inventory program. 

Former U.S. Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., had been a chief supporter of the program during his more than four decades representing the Tampa Bay area in Congress. 

U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., who worked for Young, supported the reauthorization and weighed in on the matter on Tuesday. 

“This is about saving lives and continuing to give hope to patients searching for that matched stranger that will give them a chance at life,” said Jolly who is running for the U.S. Senate in 2016.  "Decades ago Bill Young had the vision and tenacity to direct investment in bone marrow and cell transplantation cures for those suffering from critical diseases. I am proud my colleagues joined together today to continue this important legacy program that continues to save lives and most fittingly bears Mr. Young's name.”
 
Since its launch in 1987, the National Marrow Donor Registry has led to more than 68,000 life-saving medical donations.