[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 1965-1966]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 12--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS 
   REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGAN, TISSUE, BONE MARROW, AND BLOOD 
              DONATION, AND SUPPORTING NATIONAL DONOR DAY

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Frist, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Santorum, Mr. 
Specter, Mr. Dorgan, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Kerry, 
Ms. Collins, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Wellstone, Mr. Levin, Mr. Biden, Mr. 
Cleland, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Enzi, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. 
Inouye, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Graham, Mr. Reid, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Dodd, 
Mr. Breaux, Mr. Kohl, and Mrs. Lincoln) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was considered and agreed to.

                            S. Con. Res. 12

       Whereas more than 70,000 individuals await organ 
     transplants at any given moment;
       Whereas another man, woman, or child is added to the 
     national organ transplant waiting list every 20 minutes;
       Whereas despite the progress in the last 15 years, more 
     than 15 people per day die because of a shortage of donor 
     organs;
       Whereas almost everyone is a potential organ, tissue, and 
     blood donor;
       Whereas transplantation has become an element of mainstream 
     medicine that prolongs and enhances life;
       Whereas for the fourth consecutive year, a coalition of 
     health organizations is joining forces for National Donor 
     Day;
       Whereas the first three National Donor Days raised a total 
     of nearly 25,000 units of blood, added over 4,000 potential 
     donors to the National Marrow Donor Program Registry, and 
     distributed tens of thousands of organ and tissue pledge 
     cards;
       Whereas National Donor Day is America's largest one-day 
     organ, tissue, bone marrow, and blood donation event; and
       Whereas a number of businesses, foundations, health 
     organizations, and the Department of Health and Human 
     Services have designated February 10, 2001, as National Donor 
     Day: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) supports the goals and ideas of National Donor Day;
       (2) encourages all Americans to learn about the importance 
     of organ, tissue, bone marrow, and blood donation and to 
     discuss such donation with their families and friends; and
       (3) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling on the people of the United States to conduct 
     appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to 
     demonstrate support for organ, tissue, bone marrow, and blood 
     donation.

  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise today to say just a few words 
about Senator Durbin's measure honoring National Donor Day on February 
10, 2001. I am proud to join Senator Durbin as a cosponsor of this 
measure.
  As Americans, one of the many things that we can be thankful for is 
the high quality of medical care. American technology, physicians, and 
pharmaceutical companies are often leaders in the development of new 
and improved healthcare equipment and techniques. But even the most 
cutting-edge technologies, the best doctors and nurses, and the finest 
facilities cannot save the life of a person in need of a transplant or 
transfusion. A grandfather with failing kidneys, a child with cancer, a 
mother who was in a car accident--any of these individuals could be 
saved by a gift of blood or an organ. Without these vital gifts, all of 
which are in great demand, many of our patients would not survive.
  Let me just take a moment to mention a few very telling facts. Only 
five percent of people who are able to donate blood do so on a regular 
basis. And, although donated blood can be stored for up to six weeks, 
is rarely is for more than ten days, because the demand is so great. 
And that is just for the donation of blood. There are more than 70,000 
individuals awaiting organ transplants at any given time, and ten 
people die every day because of the shortage of these organs. Ten 
people a day--over the past year, 3,650 of our citizens have died, 
simply because there are not enough organs out there to meet the need.
  On a most personal level, there was a young child from my state--
Caleb Godso--who was recently admitted to St. Jude Hospital with 
Leukemia. Caleb, who is just over a year old now, was only five months 
old when he was diagnosed. He was given only a ten percent chance of 
surviving. But thanks to

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chemotherapy, a new kind of treatment, and a bone marrow transplant 
from his father, Caleb is in remission now, and doing well. He is only 
one of the thousands of individuals whose lives are saved by 
transplants every year, and the many more who require blood 
transfusions. But there are so many more who do not receive the help 
they need.
  This is why it is so vital that we make people aware of the 
importance of donating blood, tissue, marrow, or organs. Today, on this 
very special day, we focus on the impact love can have on a person's 
life. We shower our loved ones with gifts and flowers to show how much 
we truly care for them. We exchange cards and kind words with 
coworkers, friends, and even strangers. But what better way to show our 
love for others than through the simple gift of a pint of blood, or 
checking the box on our driver's license to become an organ donor?
  The majority of people are eligible to be donors, and the past three 
National Donor Days have made many people aware of our great need. I 
urge my colleagues to work and help continue to make National Donor Day 
a success.

                          ____________________