[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6425]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 152--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF APRIL 
                 2017 AS ``NATIONAL DONATE LIFE MONTH''

  Ms. HEITKAMP (for herself and Mr. Casey) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 152

       Whereas, in April 2017, over 118,116 individuals were on 
     the official waiting list for organ donation managed by the 
     Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (referred to in 
     this preamble as the ``national transplant waiting list'');
       Whereas, in 2016, 33,606 transplant procedures were 
     performed with organs from 27,628 deceased donors and 5,978 
     living donors, yet 6,303 candidates for transplantation died 
     while waiting for an organ transplant;
       Whereas, on average, 22 people die each day while waiting 
     for an organ donation;
       Whereas over 130,000,000 people in the United States are 
     registered to be organ and tissue donors, yet the demand for 
     donated organs outweighs the supply of organs made available 
     each day;
       Whereas, in 2016, a record was set for the number of organ 
     transplants performed in a single year, yet every 10 minutes, 
     1 person is added to the national transplant waiting list;
       Whereas an organ donation from a single deceased donor can 
     benefit up to 8 individuals;
       Whereas a living donor can donate a kidney or a portion of 
     a lung or the liver to save the life of another individual; 
     and
       Whereas April is traditionally recognized as ``National 
     Donate Life Month'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Donate Life 
     Month;
       (2) supports promoting awareness of organ donation by 
     increasing public awareness;
       (3) encourages States, localities, and territories of the 
     United States to support the goals and ideals of National 
     Donate Life Month by issuing a proclamation to designate 
     April 2017 as ``National Donate Life Month'';
       (4) commends each individual who--
       (A) is a registered organ donor who may have a positive 
     impact on the life of another individual; or
       (B) indicates a wish to become an organ donor;
       (5) acknowledges the grief of families who face the loss of 
     loved ones and commends the families who, in their grief, 
     choose to donate the organs of deceased family members;
       (6) recognizes the generous contribution made by each 
     living individual who has donated an organ to save the life 
     of another individual;
       (7) acknowledges the advances in medical technology that 
     have enabled organ transplantation with organs donated by 
     living individuals to become a viable treatment option for an 
     increasing number of patients;
       (8) commends the medical professionals and organ 
     transplantation experts who have worked to improve the 
     process of living organ donation and increase the number of 
     living donors; and
       (9) salutes each individual who has helped to give the gift 
     of life by supporting, promoting, and encouraging organ 
     donation.

                          ____________________