IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 220 

Recognizing America’s Blood Centers and its member organizations for their 

commitment to providing over half the Nation with a safe and adequate 

volunteer donor blood supply, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 19, 2005 

Mr. BOUSTANY (for himself, Mr. BLUNT, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. BOYD, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. TOWNS, and Mr. RADANOVICH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing America’s Blood Centers and its member organizations for their commitment to providing over half the 

Nation with a safe and adequate volunteer donor blood 

supply, and for other purposes. 

Whereas each year more than 4,500,000 Americans need a 

blood transfusion, and for over half the need is urgent 

and lifesaving; 

Whereas one out of three people need donated blood in their 

lifetime, and one out of seven hospital patients need a 

blood transfusion; 

Whereas it is the blood available on a daily basis that saves 

lives, and volunteer blood donors are required every day 
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•HRES 220 IH 

to meet patient needs and to be immediately available in 

times of disaster; 

Whereas community blood centers strive year-round to maintain a sufficient blood supply, an urgent task because 

blood components must be constantly rotated as a result 

of blood’s short 42-day shelf life; 

Whereas America’s Blood Centers was founded in 1962 and 

is North America’s largest network of community-based, 

federally licensed, not-for-profit blood centers; 

Whereas America’s Blood Centers supports member blood 

centers in conducting donor awareness programs and in 

addressing blood center quality programs; 

Whereas America’s Blood Centers has been a national leader 

in meeting increased national blood supply needs, developing new donor recruitment tools, and making blood donation a societal priority; 

Whereas members of America’s Blood Centers help each 

other to avoid blood shortages by sharing of resources 

and best practices; 

Whereas members of America’s Blood Centers are currently 

engaged in developing new tests and new technologies to 

further assure the safety of the Nation’s blood supply 

and are actively engaged in biomedical research in the 

area of transfusion medicine; 

Whereas member blood centers collect nearly half of the 

United States blood supply, more than that of any other 

organization; 

Whereas members of America’s Blood Centers serve more 

than 150,000,000 people and operate more than 600 collection sites; 
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Whereas America’s Blood Centers assists its members and 

other blood organizations in assuring adequate blood supplies for patients in times of disasters; 

Whereas America’s Blood Centers has developed a ‘‘hub-andspoke’’ system to rapidly respond to any military requirement for blood to support our troops; 

Whereas members of America’s Blood Centers provide blood 

products and services to more than 3,300 United States 

hospitals; 

Whereas members of America’s Blood Centers were the first 

to respond to the Oklahoma City bombing, the Columbine 

shootings, and the 9/11 World Trade Center tragedy and 

since 9/11 have supported and developed with the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human 

Services proposals to ensure rapid response and adequate 

blood support in the case of a national disaster or act of 

terrorism; and 

Whereas members of America’s Blood Centers support military operations around the globe: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the unique role of America’s 

3 Blood Centers and its members in— 

4 (A) providing life saving blood to patients, 

5 including the military in times of war and the 

6 Nation in times of disaster; 

7 (B) ensuring the safety of that blood sup8 ply; and 

9 (C) promoting essential blood donor initia10 tives; 
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1 (2) acknowledges the efforts made by member 

2 community blood centers to promote and protect the 

3 safety and adequacy of blood components provided 

4 to patients; and 

5 (3) recognizes the need to promote a stable 

6 blood supply and increase volunteer participation of 

7 blood donors. 

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