[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14485]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               BLOOD DRIVE HONORING THE HON. FLOYD SPENCE

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, this week the American Red 
Cross will host a blood drive in memory of my friend, mentor, and 
predecessor, the late Representative Floyd Spence. His historic double 
lung transplant in 1988 by Dr. Shehadri Raju of Jackson, Mississippi, 
as well as his kidney transplant he received from his son, David, 
enabled him to provide consummate leadership to South Carolina and the 
Nation. His surgeries would not have been possible without volunteer 
blood donations.
  Every second, someone in America depends upon a life-saving volunteer 
blood donation. In addition to organ transplant recipients, blood is 
used every day for children with sickle cell anemia, cancer patients, 
and trauma victims.
  I would like to thank the Congressman's beloved widow, Mrs. Debbie 
Spence, for her generous involvement with this blood drive, and I would 
also like to recognize Ms. Laura Haas and Mr. Noah Simon for organizing 
this crucial event.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues and staff to visit the Rayburn 
foyer today and tomorrow between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to give the gift of 
life.

                          ____________________