[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 37 (Thursday, March 2, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING MARCH 2017 AS NATIONAL EYE DONOR MONTH

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                        HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 2, 2017

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor March 2017 as National 
Eye Donor Month. This is a month dedicated to promoting awareness of 
the need to register as an eye donor, recognize donors as well as their 
families, and celebrate the lives of donor recipients.
  Since President Ronald Regan proclaimed the first National Eye Donor 
Month in 1983, the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) and each of 
its 86 member eye banks across the U.S., have designated March to 
recognize over one million corneal tissue recipients who have regained 
their sight. In 2015 alone, EBAA member eye banks recovered 118,752 
corneas from 66,065 donors and provided 74,173 corneas for transplant 
in the U.S. and around the world. Also in 2015, my home state of New 
York provided 2,835 corneas for transplant and 715 for research and 
education by six eye banks statewide.
  Eye banks have a special significance in the 7th Congressional 
District of New York, the Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration (EBSR) in my 
district was the first eye bank in the world. Since its inception in 
1944 by Dr. Townley Paton, EBSR has given the gift of sight to over 
63,000 men, women and children.
  On this special occasion, I commend the Eye Bank Association of 
America and the eye banks across the country for their great work. I 
encourage my colleagues to support efforts that urge all Americans to 
give the gift of sight by registering to become eye, organ and tissue 
donors.

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