mr. speaker , i thank the chairman for yielding me time .  mr. speaker , today we will hear some of our colleagues talk about the empty promise of embryonic stem cell research .  they will argue for research that not only requires the destruction of human life , but to date , has also not yielded a single therapy .  what we in congress should be advocating for is the continuing advancement of adult stem cell research , a true scientific success story , which has benefited thousands of americans already .  perhaps nowhere is this success more evident than in the advancement of cord-blood stem cells .  a rich source of stem cells , umbilical cords are already treating patients .  cord-blood stem cells have already been used to treat thousands of patients and more than 67 different diseases , including leukemia , sickle cell anemia and lymphoma .  the new york blood center 's national cord-blood program alone has provided transplants to over 1 , 500 gravely ill children and adults .  and there is great promise for the future .  studies have shown that these cells have the capacity to change into other cell types , giving them potential to treat debilitating conditions such as parkinson 's disease , spinal cord injury and diabetes .  the stem cell therapeutic and research act focuses government efforts on research with real promise , providing federal funding to increase the number of cord-blood units available to match and treat patients .  the bill also takes on the recommendations of the institute of medicine , providing a national network that would link all the cord-blood banks participating in an inventory program into a search system , allowing transplant physicians to search for cord-blood and bone marrow matches through a single-access point .  it would also promote additional stem cell research for units not suitable for transplant .  the stem cell therapeutic and research act advances true stem cell research , research with real promise , grounded in proven science ; and it is ethically sound .  i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important and timely legislation .  