[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S2108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FRIST (for himself, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Levin, 
        Mrs. Murray, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Murkowski, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. 
        Durbin, and Mr. Inouye):
  S. 499. A bill to establish a congressional commemorative medal for 
organ donors and their families; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, 
and Urban Affairs.


            the gift of life congressional medal act of 1999

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I take great pleasure today in introducing 
the Gift of Life Congressional Medal Act of 1999. With this 
legislation, which doesn't cost taxpayers a penny, Congress has the 
opportunity to recognize and encourage potential donors, and give hope 
to over 52,000 Americans who have end-stage disease. As a heart and 
lung transplant surgeon, I saw one in four of my patients die because 
of the lack of available donors. Public awareness simply has not kept 
up with the relatively new science of transplantation. As public 
servants, we need to do all we can to raise awareness about the gift of 
life.
  Under this bill, each donor or donor family will be eligible to 
receive a commemorative Congressional medal. It is not expected that 
all families, many of whom wish to remain anonymous, will take 
advantage of this opportunity. The program will be coordinated by the 
regional organ procurement organizations [OPO's] and managed by the 
entity administering the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. 
Upon request of the family or individual, a public official will 
present the medal to the donor or the family. This creates a wonderful 
opportunity to honor those sharing life through donation and increase 
public awareness. Some researchers have estimated that it may be 
possible to increase the number of organ donations by 80 percent 
through public education.
  Any one of us, or any member of our families, could need a life 
saving transplant. We would then be placed on a waiting list to 
anxiously await our turn, or our death. The number of people on the 
list has more than doubled since 1990--and a new name is added to the 
list every 18 minutes. In my home State of Tennessee, 62 Tennesseans 
died in 1998 while waiting, and more than 775 people are in need of a 
transplant. Nationally, because of a lack of organs, close to 5,000 
listed individuals died in 1998.
  However, the official waiting list reflects only those who have been 
lucky enough to make it into the medical care system and to pass the 
financial hurdles. If you include all those reaching end-stage disease, 
the number of people potentially needing organs or bone marrow, very 
likely over 120,000, becomes staggering. Only a small fraction of that 
number would ever receive transplants, even if they had adequate 
insurance. There simply are not enough organ and tissue donors, even to 
meet present demand.
  Federal policies surrounding the issue of organ transplantation are 
difficult. Whenever you deal with whether someone lives or dies, there 
are no easy answers. There are between 15,000 and 20,000 potential 
cadaveric donors each year, yet inexcusably, in 1997 there were only 
some 5,400 actual donors. That's why we need you to help us educate 
others about the facts surrounding tissue and organ donation.
  Mr. President, there has been unprecedented cooperation, on both 
sides of the aisle, and a growing commitment to awaken public 
compassion on behalf of those who need organ transplants. It is my very 
great pleasure to introduce this bill on behalf of a group of Senators 
who have already contributed in extremely significant ways to the cause 
of organ transplantation. And we are proud to ask you to join us, in 
encouraging people to give life to others.
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