Pete Stark: “today I join my colleague and good friend, Representative Karen Thurman, to support House Concurrent Resolution 247, in…”

“today I join my colleague and good friend, Representative Karen Thurman, to support House Concurrent Resolution 247, in honor of National donor Day and recognition of the importance organ, tissue, bone marrow and blood donation. With approximately 70,000 Americans currently awaiting organs and more than ten people dying every day, it is clear that our nation is facing a real crisis. This resolution will help both raise awareness and increase donations nationwide--it is a meaningful step toward bringing an end to our nation's current predicament. A Health and Human Services (HHS) September 1999 Report to Congress noted a growing gap between the supply and demand for organs nationwide. HHS reports that medical technology improvements and a modest increase in donors have not kept pace with the demand for more organs. Demand for organ transplants has increased due to the success of immunosuppression therapies in preventing organ rejection and improving graft and patient survival. The lack of organs available for transplant illustrates the crucial need to focus public attention on increasing organ donation.”