Three years after New Jersey became the first state to mandate postpartum-depression screening, a similar federal effort is foundering amid criticism from two unlikely sources: the Church of Scientology and a Republican senator nicknamed "Dr. No."

The law, called the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act, would expand awareness about postpartum depression and fund research. It has the endorsement of several national women's and mental-health groups.

In New Jersey, it also has three prominent backers: U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, who sponsored the bill; Sylvia Lasalandra Frodella, a Franklin Lakes postpartum depression survivor; and Mary Jo Codey, the former first lady whose openness about her own experiences influenced New Jersey's landmark screening law.

"It's a miracle that I'm alive and that my daughter's alive today," said Frodella, the now-recovered mother of 7-year-old Malina.

"For me not to move 100 percent full force on this bill — shame on me."

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that up to 20 percent of moms suffer from postpartum depression, which can range from the mild and temporary "baby blues" to a psychosis that can lead a mother to harm or even kill the baby or herself. Researchers believe hormones and exhaustion are contributing factors, but say that the condition is highly treatable with therapy or prescription medication.

The federal legislation — named for an Illinois woman who committed suicide three months after giving birth — received approval in the House of Representatives in October. But it has stalled in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, whose members include Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, an obstetrician so well-known for delaying legislation that he is called Dr. No by Republicans and Democrats alike.

Coburn, called "a one-man gridlock machine" by The Wall Street Journal, tied up at least 90 bills last year, many of them with a "hold," which can force a debate or lengthy vote. The tactic, he has said, prevents wasteful spending.

In this case, Coburn has no connection to Scientology, but has good reason to oppose the bill, according to Don Tatro, his press secretary.

"For disease-specific legislation, we feel that peer-reviewed scientists should be making the decisions on direct funding, rather than politicians," Tatro said.

The MOTHERS Act runs against a major tenet of the Church of Scientology, whose beliefs are rooted in the writings of science-fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. Followers oppose psychiatry and mood-altering medication.

In 2006 Scientology's most visible member, the actor Tom Cruise, criticized the actor and model Brooke Shields for taking the antidepressant Paxil to combat postpartum depression. Cruise this month told Oprah Winfrey that he had been "wrong," adding: "I'm not trying or want to tell anyone how to live their life or what they should believe or shouldn't believe."

Some other church members won't waver. The Scientology-affiliated Citizens Commission on Human Rights encourages its Web site visitors to send a form letter to senators, stating that postpartum depression could be treated with "normal medical or alternative means."

The Citizens Commission referred a request for comment to Amy Philo, a Texas mother of two who said she doesn't follow Scientology, but is working alongside the group to help stop the legislation.

On her Web site, UniteForLife.org, Philo wrote about how she was prescribed Zoloft to treat depression shortly after the arrival of her firstborn, then had thoughts about killing the baby and other people. The thoughts ended when she stopped taking the drug.

In an interview, Philo said she has no medical training, but has been reading studies about antidepressants for years, and has compiled well-publicized instances of infanticide in which the mother had been medicated.

"I don't believe it's OK to go around promoting these drugs to other women especially after what I went through," Philo said.

Menendez, the bill's sponsor, said opponents' arguments are wrong-minded.

"The many ways to treat it can include social support, therapy and medication. This bill doesn't cover, doesn't encourage or subsidize the use of medications in any way," he said.

Menendez said he hopes to have the bill out of committee by the end of the month.

"Our challenge on the floor will be Senator Coburn," he said.

In the meantime, Codey and Frodella — the New Jersey advocates — are speaking to mothers and mental-health groups, posting to Internet message boards and distributing literature.

"My whole heart is in this bill," Codey said. "All we really want is education, awareness, research, diagnosis."

Frodella — who once had wanted to give baby Malina to an adoptive family, and later considered smothering her — said her job is to seek out women, their partners and families, and direct them toward the sort of help that allowed her to make a full recovery.

"You're not any less of a mother," she said of those who suffer postpartum depression. "You're a good person. Things will be OK for you."

E-mail: younge@northjersey.com