[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 7, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E28]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR OF ROBINSON SECONDARY SCHOOL'S DECA CHAPTER AND THEIR EFFORTS 
           TO PROMOTE ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AMONG YOUTHS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. THOMAS M. DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 7, 1997

  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
the work and dedication of the members of the Distributive Education 
Clubs of America [DECA] Chapter at Robinson Secondary School in 
Fairfax, VA. Along with the Washington Regional Transplant Consortium 
and the Coalition on Organ and Tissue Donation, the Robinson DECA 
Chapter has launched an educational campaign aimed at each high school 
across the Nation in an effort to promote organ and tissue donation 
among young people.
  Promoting their national theme ``Youth United, For A Second Chance At 
Life,'' the Robinson DECA Chapter was one of three groups organizing a 
rally of nearly 300 high school students, Members and Congress 
including myself and Senator Byron Dorgan, organ and tissue recipients, 
and donor family members for an organ and tissue donation rally at the 
U.S. Capitol last month. The turnout and mood of the crowd was 
inspiring, and their presence represented the first giant step towards 
creating awareness among America's youth about the importance of 
becoming organ and tissue donors.
  Currently, they are nearly 50,000 people on a national register 
awaiting organ and tissue transplants. Unfortunately, not every person 
in need of an organ or tissue is able to receive what they must have to 
survive; one American dies every three hours because of a shortage of 
donor organs. More than 50 people can be helped by a single donor but 
each year, 12,000 to 15,000 people die who are medically suitable to be 
organ and tissue donors. For these crucial reasons, we must focus our 
local and national efforts on educating young people and their families 
about the serious need to decide now--rather than wait until it is too 
late--on whether or not they will commit to becoming an organ and 
tissue donor. While there are many private sector organizations which 
promote public awareness of the need for organ donation, I am truly 
proud of the students of Robinson's DECA Chapter and their 
unprecedented effort to ignite the compassion and understanding of 
their peers.
  Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues will join me in applauding the 
members of Robsinson's DECA Chapter for their enthusiasm and diligent 
work in helping each other understand the necessity of deciding to 
become an organ donor and for aiding their fellow Americans who 
desperately need all of us to become organ and tissue donors.

                          ____________________