[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 38 (Monday, September 27, 1999)]
[Pages 1817-1818]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Organ Donor Leave Act

September 24, 1999

    Today, I am pleased to sign into law H.R. 457, the ``Organ Donor 
Leave Act,'' which would enhance the Federal Government's leadership 
role in encouraging organ donations by making it easier for Federal 
employees to become donors.
    Currently, more than 65,000 Americans are awaiting an organ 
transplant. Last year, almost 5,000 Americans died while waiting for an 
organ to become available. This amounts to an average of 13 citizens 
each day. Many of these deaths could have been prevented if there were a 
sufficient supply of donor organs. H.R. 457 is a valuable tool to help 
address the needs of Americans waiting for organs by encouraging 
donations by Federal employees.
    In 1997, my Administration launched the National Organ and Tissue 
Donation Initiative, which included new efforts by the Federal 
Government to increase awareness among Federal employees of the need for 
organ and tissue donation. The Department of Health and Human Services, 
in partnership with the Office of Personnel Management, has implemented 
a Government-wide campaign to encourage Federal employees to consider 
organ donation and, as the country's largest employer, to set the 
example for the private sector as well as other public organizations.
    H.R. 457 builds on my Administration's long-standing commitment to 
increasing organ donations nationwide. Under current law, a Federal 
employee may use up to 7 days of paid leave each year, other than sick 
leave or annual leave, to serve as a donor. Recent surveys of doctors 
and hospitals indicate that the current 7-day limit is clearly 
insufficient for recovery from organ donation surgery. This bill 
increases the amount of paid leave available to Federal employees who 
donate organs for transplants, providing up to 30 days of paid leave, in 
addition to annual and sick leave, for organ donation.
    In addition to our current efforts, my Administration will go 
forward in the coming weeks with the framework for an organ allocation 
system that will serve patients better. Our approach, which has been 
validated by the Institute of Medicine, calls for improved allocation 
policies to be designed by transplant professionals, not by the 
Government, and would ensure better and fairer treatment for patients. 
We need an organ allocation system that is as good as our transplant 
technology, and it is time for sound allocation policies to go into 
effect.
    It gives me great pleasure to sign H.R. 457 into law. I welcome the 
opportunity to help Federal employees participate in this life-saving 
effort.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
September 24, 1999.

Note: H.R. 457, approved September 24, was assigned Public Law No. 106-
56.

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