Cliff Stearns: “I commend my colleague the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss) for his vigilance in getting this legislation to the floor.…”

“I commend my colleague the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss) for his vigilance in getting this legislation to the floor. I also am an original cosponsor of the Ricky Ray Relief Act. I am deeply committed to seeing this bill become public law. My involvement in this issue began back in 1994 when I, too, was contacted by Gale and Randy Ellman. The Ellmans lost their son Eric Brandon when he was 14 years old. Eric died as a result of infusing a clotting factor that was tainted with HIV. His death is a double tragedy because it could have been avoided. While we cannot bring back Ricky or Eric, we can try today to rectify this wrong. According to best estimates, about 8,000 hemophiliacs have been infected with HIV. This represents half the hemophiliacs in the country. By passing this bill we are simply saying that we acknowledge the government's failure, through the FDA, to protect our Nation's blood supply and regulate the sale of blood products. Will $100,000 make up for the pain and suffering these families had to endure? The answer is no. But what it will do is say to thousands of people so deeply affected by this tragedy that your government wants to right the wrong.”