Reps. Cleaver, Van Duyne Lead Effort to Ensure Safe and Efficient Organ Transportation

(Washington, D.C.) – On Friday, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in urging the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to take an important step toward improving the transportation of life-saving organs.

“Organ donation is one of the greatest gifts one can leave when they depart from this world—and it’s imperative that every organ provided is treated with the care and respect worthy of such a life-saving donation,” said Congressman Cleaver. “I was pleased when Congress came together to authorize a working group to develop best practices and identify hindrances to transporting donated organs in commercial aircrafts, which will help ensure these life-saving organs are transferred quickly and carefully to patients in need, and I’m pleased to join Rep. Van Duyne to urge the Department of Transportation to move swiftly in implementing this important provision from the recently signed FAA Reauthorization bill.”

“Over the last two decades, it’s become unnecessarily difficult to fly vital organs to patients due to bureaucratic red tape. I was glad to work with Congressman Cleaver in bringing together this bipartisan group to underscore the importance of improving the air transportation of organs and ensure these gifts of life reach their intended recipients quickly and safely,” said Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne.

“We must do everything in our power to protect the gift of life and help patients get the organ transplants they need,” said Maureen McBride, Ph.D., CEO of UNOS. “The efficient transportation of life-saving organs is critically important to patients and donor families to avoid unnecessary delays and complexities. Transporting organs in the main cabin of an airplane, instead of in cargo, as is the practice today, will make a meaningful difference. Thank you, Congresswoman Van Duyne, Congressman Cleaver, and members of the donation and transplant community for supporting the swift creation of the workgroup.”

"We deeply appreciate the commitment of Representatives Cleaver and Van Duyne to ensure the Federal Aviation Administration collaborates with the organ donation and transplant community to enhance the system for transporting organs via commercial aircraft," said Jan Finn, RN, MSN, President and CEO of Midwest Transplant Network, which serves patients in Missouri and Kansas. "Streamlining transit to efficiently deliver organs to patients waiting at transplant centers is crucial for Organ Procurement Organizations to fulfill their life-saving mission."

Before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, organ procurement organizations were able to take organs through airport security and ensure they were properly loaded onto the plane. Due to the post-9/11 security changes, organs are now loaded on the tarmac, where they fly in pressurized cargo holds. As a result of this change, organs have been destroyed, risk missing a connecting flight, or are left in cargo after a flight is delayed/canceled due to weather or mechanical issues. For those reasons, Reps. Cleaver and Van Duyne are urging the Secretary of the Department of Transportation to swiftly implement Section 1102 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which requires the convening of a working group within 90 days of enactment to assist in developing best practices for transportation of organs in the cabin of an aircraft

Congressman Cleaver and Congresswoman Van Duyne are joined by Congresswoman Miller (R-WV-1), Congressman Nadler (D-NY-12), Congressman Wenstrup (R-OH-02), Congresswoman McCollum (D-MN-04), Congressman Bacon (R-NE-02), Congressman Guest (R-MS-03), Congressman Crenshaw (R-TX-02), Congressman Johnson (R-SD-AL), Congresswoman Porter (D-CA-47), Congressman Wilson (R-SC-02), Congressman Nehls (R-TX-22), Congressman Grijalva (D-AZ-07), Congressman Suozzi (D-NY-03), Congressman Garbarino (R-NY-02), Congressman Jackson (D-IL-01), Congressman Lawler (R-NY-17), Congressman Obernolte (R-CA-23), Congresswoman Davids (D-KS-03), Congressman Moolenaar (R-MI-02), Congresswoman Stansbury (D-NM-01), Congressman McCormick (R-GA-06), Congressman Duncan (R-SC-03), Congressman Mann (R-KS-01), Congressman Cardenas (D-CA-29), and Congressman Stanton (D-AZ-04).

The official letter from Reps. Cleaver and Van Duyne is available here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.