U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Todd Young (R-IN), along with a bipartisan group of colleagues, are working to establish congressional oversight as the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act that became law in 2023 gets implemented.
The group of six lawmakers recently contacted the president of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Board of Directors, Dianne LaPointe Rudow, in a June 6 letter to correct several misunderstandings put forward by the board in recent weeks as it implements the law.
The Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act modifies how the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funds and manages the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. A goal of the law is to remove barriers in the OPTN contracting to improve management of the organ transplantation system in the United States.
“As co-authors and original co-sponsors of the Act, we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the law’s intent and what the new statutory language requires,” the senators wrote. They addressed misunderstandings of two key issues: the status of the OPTN and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) designation of an entity to serve as the OPTN Board of Directors, and the representation of the OPTN as independent.
“First, combining the Board of Directors with the OPTN is not consistent with the congressional intent,” the senators wrote. “Second, the statute in no way implies the OPTN Board is to be independent of the government. In fact, the statute makes clear that all OPTN functions are directly within the purview of HHS as they are carried out under the auspices of awards made by and overseen by HHS.”
The statutory requirements are clear, and the senators said they expect HHS will carry out the implementation of the new structure for the OPTN consistent with congressional intent, according to the letter, which was led by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR).