HIV Organ Policy Equity Act

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act, commonly known as the ``HOPE Act.'' The HOPE Act is a critical step towards improving the health and well-being of persons living with HIV and AIDS and of strengthening our Nation's organ transplant system.

Many of us remember the fear and worry that surrounded AIDS in the 1980s. At first, no one even knew what caused AIDS, and the diagnosis was considered a swift death sentence. In that time of fear and the unknown, a blanket ban was placed on transplanting any HIV-positive organs, even for the purposes of research. However, in the last 25 years, medical research and technology has transformed HIV/AIDS care and treatment. Now, thanks to these breakthroughs, HIV is a more chronic condition. This has led to improved life expectancies-- something we can and should celebrate--but it also means that HIV- positive people are more likely to encounter medical complications as they age. They face unique complications as the powerful drugs that keep their HIV at bay often take a hard toll on their bodies, putting them at increased risk for ailments like kidney and liver disease, and for some of these problems, the only treatment is to wait on the same long waiting lists, as all Americans do, for an organ transplant.

There might be a better way.

According to transplant experts, each year, we toss out hundreds of HIV-positive organs that could otherwise be viable for transplantation into other HIV-positive people. These organs have the potential to save lives and lessen the transplant waiting lists for all Americans, but, instead, they are wasted because of the archaic, blanket ban that prohibits even the research to see if they could be used by those who already are HIV positive. That is why we need to pass the HOPE Act today.

The HOPE Act would create a pathway, grounded in medical science, to research the feasibility and safety of positive-to-positive organ transplantation. Think about it. This is a chance to possibly shorten the waiting lists for everyone waiting for an organ, to deliver better health outcomes for those in need, and to lower health care costs by moving individuals off of the dialysis rolls, all while maintaining the safety and integrity of our current organ transplantation system. That is what the HOPE Act can and will help to do. It is common sense and fiscally responsible. It is the right thing to do for all Americans who are awaiting transplants.

I would like to thank and acknowledge Senator Boxer and Senator Coburn for championing this issue in the Senate. With their leadership, the HOPE Act passed by unanimous consent in June. Also, I would especially like to thank for their leadership my colleagues Mr. Harris, who is the Republicans' lead on this bill, and also Dr. Burgess, who is a cosponsor and a strong supporter of this bill. Finally, I would like to thank all of the advocates who have worked so hard in support of this legislation.

I am pleased to stand with an incredibly broad coalition of health professionals and HIV/AIDS advocates in backing S. 330. The HOPE Act is a commonsense bill that creates a path forward for research on this issue. It has strong support on both sides of the Capitol and on both sides of the aisle. It is a critically important issue. It is an opportunity to save lives. That is

why I am urging a ``yes'' vote today on S. 330, the HOPE Act.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield whatever time she may consume to my colleague from Washington, D.C., Eleanor Holmes Norton.

I would ask the gentleman from Pennsylvania if he has more speakers?

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Is the gentleman prepared to close?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the Record letters of support from the United Network for Organ Sharing and a coalition of health professional and HIV/AIDS advocacy organizations.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important commonsense legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Richmond, VA, January 18, 2013.

RE UNOS Endorsement of Your Legislation to Address HIV+ Organ

Donation and Research

Hon. Barbara Boxer,

U.S. Senate, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.

Hon. Tom Coburn,

U.S. Senate, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.

Hon. Lois Capps,

House of Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Dear Senator Boxer, Senator Coburn, and Representative

Capps: UNOS is pleased to learn of your efforts to take an

important step to make more organs available for

transplantation. As you know, more than 110,000 Americans are

currently on the waiting list for organ transplants--far more

than are likely to find a matching donor in time. Allowing

the careful, targeted use of these organs makes it possible

to save more lives.

If your legislation is successful, UNOS, as the contractor

for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, stands

ready to work with our HRSA partners to establish appropriate

allocation policies, including safeguards to protect

uninfected recipients from inadvertently receiving HIV-

infected organs or vessels.

We look forward to working with you to advance this

important legislation.

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the private,

non-profit organization that manages the nation's organ

transplant system under contract with the federal government.

Our mission is to advance organ availability and

transplantation by uniting and supporting our communities for

the benefit of patients through education, technology and

policy development.

Sincerely,

John P. Roberts, MD,

President, United Network for Organ Sharing.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I stand in support of another bipartisan bill this evening. The HIV Organ Policy Equity Act, or the HOPE Act, would lift a ban dating back to the 1990s on acquiring HIV-positive organs so that the Department of Health and Human Services can conduct research on the safety and effectiveness of transplants between HIV-positive individuals.

As HIV treatments have advanced over the last 30 years, many HIV- positive individuals are living longer lives, but they are also more likely to experience conditions, such as kidney and liver failure, which necessitate a transplant.

This bill provides a potential path to a separate organ donation pool for HIV-positive organs, hopefully increasing the overall number of organs available for transplantation.

The HOPE Act passed the Senate by unanimous consent in June and is supported by the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, among others.

I would encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan, commonsense bill and would like to commend Dr. Harris, Dr. Burgess, Mrs. Capps, Chairman Upton, and Ranking Members Waxman and Pallone for their leadership on this bipartisan bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Dr. Burgess, the vice chairman of the Health Subcommittee.

I do, yes.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland, Dr. Harris, one of the leaders on this issue.

Yes, I am.

Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record an exchange of letters between the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on the Judiciary on H.R. 698, the House companion bill to S. 330.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bipartisan commonsense legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, July 22, 2013.

Hon. Fred Upton,

Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Upton: I am writing with respect to H.R. 698,

the ``HIV Organ Policy Equity Act,'' which the Committee on

Energy and Commerce reported favorably on July 17, 2013. As a

result of your having consulted with us on provisions in H.R.

698 that fall within the rule X jurisdiction of the Committee

on the Judiciary, I agree to discharge our Committee from

further consideration of this bill so that it may proceed

expeditiously to the House floor for consideration.

The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual

understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 698 at

this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject

matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our

Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the

bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may

address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our

Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an

appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate

conference involving this or similar legislation, and asks

that you support any such request.

I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming

this understanding with respect to H.R. 698, and would ask

that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be

included in the Congressional Record during floor

consideration of H.R. 698.

Sincerely,

Bob Goodlatte,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 330) to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish safeguards and standards of quality for research and transplantation of organs infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I stand in strong support of S. 330, known as the HOPE Act.

The HOPE Act would eliminate the restriction on acquiring HIV- positive organs in order to permit research on transplants between HIV- positive individuals. The legislation will increase the number of available organs and will help all of those who are awaiting a transplant.

In 1984, Congress enacted the National Organ Transplant Act, NOTA. The purpose of NOTA was to guide organ donation and transplantation. In 1988, Congress amended NOTA to ban the transplantation of HIV-infected organs. Today, HIV treatments have extended and have improved the lives of countless HIV patients. This, in turn, has increased the need for organ donations.

This bill would allow research to fully evaluate the safety and effectiveness of organ transplantation between individuals with HIV. Specifically, the bill would permit research on transplants involving HIV-positive individuals by eliminating the restriction on acquiring HIV-positive organs. The legislation also would direct the Secretary of HHS to develop and implement standards for research on the transplantation of HIV-infected organs. Finally, the bill would require the Secretary of HHS to revise transplant standards based on that research.

H.R. 698 is the House companion to the HOPE Act. Mrs. Capps, on our committee, authored H.R. 698, and the Energy and Commerce Committee passed it by voice vote last July. Earlier this year, the Senate passed the legislation before us today, which was led by Senators Boxer, Coburn, Baldwin, and Paul--a bipartisan group. By passing the HOPE Act now, we will send it directly to the President so that he can sign it into law and avoid a conference.

This commonsense proposal has the potential to save lives. With 100,000 patients waiting for life-saving organs, permitting HIV- positive donors to be used for transplants could save as many as 1,000 HIV-infected patients every year. So, tonight, we provide some hope for those in need of new organs. I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the balance of my time be managed by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts).

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 330, the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act or HOPE Act. And I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for passage of S. 330 today, which will send this bill on to the President for his signature.

In the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the National Organ Transplant Act was

amended to ban the transplantation of organs infected with the HIV virus. Today--more than two decades after this ban was put in place--an HIV-positive diagnosis is no longer a death sentence. More and more HIV-positive Americans are living longer with antiretroviral treatment and finding themselves on waitlists for organs along with tens of thousands of others. Organ transplantation also now occurs using Hepatitis C-positive organs for transplant in patients who have the Hepatitis C virus. This development is notable given similarities in the transmission modes of the HIV and Hepatitis C viruses.

The HOPE Act updates the National Organ Transplant Act to reflect the current medical and scientific understanding of HIV/AIDS. The bill creates a pathway for future HIV-positive to HIV-positive organ donation--beginning first with research. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is directed to develop research criteria for HIV-posiive to HIV-positive organ donation. The Secretary is also required to conduct an annual review of research results and--if she deems the research findings warrant this action--direct the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network to revise standards for organ transplantation with HIV-infected organs. S. 330 also amends the Federal criminal code to specify that organ donation consistent with the HOPE Act would not violate the current prohibition in Federal law.

I believe this measure represents an important step forward in updating our organ transplant procedures to reflect the current state of the science. Importantly, S. 330 could also increase organs available for donation--saving hundreds of lives each year.

I want to commend Congresswoman Capps and Congressman Harris for their leadership on this critical issue in the House. I also want to acknowledge the contributions of Senators Boxer and Coburn, the sponsors of the legislation we are considering today.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the HOPE Act and sending this commonsense, bi-partisan measure to the President.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, this bill before us tonight is a commonsense policy that will remove some barriers in the law and ensure that patients who are suffering from life-threatening illnesses can access vital treatments. We have heard the numbers discussed tonight--over 100,000 patients currently awaiting life-saving organs. That number grows by thousands every year, coupled with the fact that our current organ donation policies are outdated and do not reflect the most current research in clinical developments.

The bill before us tonight corrects this, allowing organs from HIV- positive donors to be transplanted into HIV-positive recipients. This has the potential to save over 1,000 HIV-infected patients every year with liver and kidney failure.

Allowing these HIV positive donations increases the organs available to HIV-positive recipients. More importantly, it actually grows the overall pool of organs that will be available.

Furthermore, transplant surgeons already have experience with the transplantation of infected organs. Today, surgeons perform organ transplants on patients who are infected with hepatitis C, a disease with similar transmission methods as HIV.

I would reassure my colleagues, I have taken the time to speak with transplant surgeons for the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, and I have spoken with doctors at the National Institutes of Health. This does not pose an increased health risk for the already HIV- infected patient from an organ donated by an HIV-positive donor, but it will provide the potential for increasing the number of organs available for transplant. Anybody who works in transplant surgery knows this is the number one issue that they face on a day-to-day basis.

This legislation is sound, science-based policy. It is also good fiscal policy. It increases the options for safe transplantation, eliminating the need for patients to receive costly recurring treatments, and instead allows patients to receive viable organs to live fuller, more productive lives.

I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this life-saving bill.