The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will please come to order.
I’m a doctor who treated patients with things like Hepatitis B and saw at times that Hepatitis B or another illness would progress to the point where they needed a liver transplant. And if you need a liver transplant, you’re going to die if you don’t get a liver transplant. So, it’s incredibly important.
In 1984, Congress created the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network – or OPTN – as a unique public-private partnership, supported by hundreds of dedicated volunteers and experts. Last year, doctors in the United States performed more than 48,000 transplants, the most in a single year.
In 2023, Congress passed the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act, removing barriers in how the OPTN is managed; giving the Health Resources and Services Administration—or, HRSA—clear authority to improve the organ transplantation system in the United States.
For nearly four decades, the OPTN was managed and run in its entirety by one single government contractor. By breaking up the OPTN monopoly contract, we opened the door for more competition, transparency, accountability; better results for patients. It shows what happens when we drop our partisan jerseys, and work together to deliver a pro-patient, pro-family agenda for the American people.
But, there is more for Congress to do. There are over 100,000 patients waiting for a lifesaving organ. We've heard reports of patient's safety and dignity compromised and gross mishandling of organs, undermining public trust in the OPTN. 13 people die every day waiting for a transplant.
This committee has jurisdiction over the OPTN, with that jurisdiction comes a responsibility to make sure that the system is working as intended. AND is there a way to cut down on this 100,000-person backlog. Specifically, off waiting lists. We should improve transparency, protect patient safety, and restore trust. There are 100,000 Americans waiting for a miracle; we cannot fail them.
President Trump’s administration is making this a priority.
As evidence by, implementing tougher performance and accountability measures for Organ Procurement Organizations—also called OPOs—and reduce financial barriers for living donors. I applaud the President’s commitment to this issue and look forward to working closely with him on these efforts.
I also appreciate Senator Grassley’s longstanding leadership on these issues. Together, we introduced OPTN Fee Collection Authority Act to ensure responsible management of the fees that fund the OPTN. It increases transparency, and encourages easy to implement, commonsense improvements, like automatic electronic referrals for donors. Senators Collins, Capito, Murray, and Baldwin, through their roles on the Appropriations Committee, have provided critical funding to modernize the OPTN.
These efforts give Americans hope and a better chance that they will receive a life transplant. It is pro-patient, pro-family, and Makes America Healthy Again.
I look forward to today’s discussion on how Congress can support the Trump administration, the OPTN, and the entire transplant community to better deliver for the American people.
With that, I recognize Senator Sanders
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