Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize March as National Red Cross Month. This tradition began in 1943 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the proclamation to designate the month of March to celebrate Red Cross volunteers, donors, and instructors. The history of the Red Cross, however, goes back even further into American history. In 1881, Clara Barton established the organization right here in Washington, D.C., to better serve people in need. On June 5, 1889, Clara Barton and five volunteers came to Johnstown to respond to the Johnstown Flood. For more than 100 years, the American Red Cross has worked to support those in need, whether they are men and women in uniform or victims of natural disaster. Perhaps the organization's best-known program, the American Red Cross established the first nationwide civilian blood donation program in the 1940s. According to the organization, someone in the United States needs blood every 2 seconds. There are regular blood donation drives right here on Capitol Hill, where we can all volunteer to donate blood that has the potential to save a life. Less than 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood, and only 3 percent of those individuals donate annually. The critical need for blood and the lifesaving potential that comes from a donation cannot be overstated. The American Red Cross has always been a leader in this effort, and today, they still provide more than 40 percent of the blood products in the United States.…”