IV 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 530 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 27, 2012 Mr. McDermott (for himself, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Reichert, Mr. Smith of Washington, and Mr. Inslee) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Honoring the Northwest Kidney Centers on its 50th anniversary.

Whereas Northwest Kidney Centers became the first out-of-hospital dialysis organization in the world when it opened its doors in Seattle, Washington, on January 8, 1962; Whereas the nonprofit Northwest Kidney Centers has grown into a leader in patient care, education, and research, changing the face of care for kidney disease in the United States and worldwide; Whereas chronic kidney disease is now an epidemic, affecting 1 in 7 American adults; Whereas Northwest Kidney Centers is regularly recognized by academic and professional groups as a model for the field of kidney care, most recently receiving the 2010 Washington State Hospital Association Community Health Leadership Award; Whereas Northwest Kidney Centers in 2011 served nearly 1,500 patients in 14 dialysis centers and 11 local hospitals, and supervised 200 patients in self-treatment at home in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, providing a total of 226,000 dialysis treatments; Whereas Northwest Kidney Centers, with a staff of 565, is the largest dialysis provider in King County and Clallam County, serving 78 percent of the people who require the life-saving treatment; Whereas Northwest Kidney Centers is internationally renowned in the field of home dialysis training and support and has one of the largest home dialysis programs in the United States; Whereas Northwest Kidney Centers invests $3,000,000 each year in the community providing services for pre-dialysis patients and transplant recipients, research, training of kidney physicians, educational scholarships for patients and staff, transportation assistance, charity care, and emergency grants for patients in crisis; Whereas Northwest Kidney Centers educates the public about kidney disease and organ donation, offering free public health classes on treatment options and good nutrition and participating in dozens of outreach events annually to reach people at risk for kidney disease; Whereas Northwest Kidney Centers spearheaded the creation of the Kidney Research Institute, a collaboration between Northwest Kidney Centers and the University of Washington Medical School, which has become an established scientific leader focusing on better ways to prevent, detect, treat, and eventually cure kidney disease; and Whereas January 8, 2012, is the 50th anniversary of the founding of Northwest Kidney Centers: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)honors Northwest Kidney Centers on its semicentennial; (2)recognizes Northwest Kidney Centers as the largest community-based, nonprofit dialysis provider in the United States; (3)applauds Northwest Kidney Centers for its contributions to the State of Washington and the United States; and (4)extends its congratulations to the patients, employees, physicians, and supporters of Northwest Kidney Centers.