IV 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 380 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 29, 2009 Mr. Costa (for himself, Mr. Wu, Ms. Speier, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Bilbray, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Clay, and Mr. Camp) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Expressing support for designation of April as National Donate Life Month and expressing gratitude to all Americans who have communicated their intent to be organ and tissue donors.

Whereas the national waiting list for those awaiting organ transplants has increased in the past 10 years from 60,000 to more than 100,000 people; Whereas there exists a persistent and severe shortage of organs donated for transplantation because donation has not increased at a pace to provide transplantation for these people; Whereas a single individual’s donation of heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and small intestine can save up to eight lives, and the donation of tissue can save and enhance the lives of up to 50 others; Whereas transplantation is the therapy of choice, and frequently the only option, to ease patient suffering, restore patient health, and allow patients to lead more productive lives; Whereas modern medicine has progressed to allow exponentially more successful transplant surgeries to be performed, but thousands of people still die while on the waiting list each year for lack of organ donations; Whereas in addition to public health concerns, there are also enormous savings to the United States health care system that can be realized by increasing organ donation and transplantation nationally; and Whereas the month of April would be an appropriate month to designate as National Donate Life Month: Now, therefore, be it

That the United States House of Representatives— (1)supports the designation of a National Donate Life Month; (2)expresses its support and gratitude to all Americans who have communicated their intent to be organ and tissue donors upon their deaths; (3)encourages those Americans who are not already donors to consider their organ, blood and tissue donation options; and (4)supports the many public events that will be conducted in April in every State to thank donors and donor families and to publicize the organ shortage.