D.C. Considers Organ Donor Tax Credit

Legislation attempts to increase pool of donors

The D.C. Council is considering legislation to give organ donors thousands of dollars in tax credits in order to boost the pool of donors in the nation’s capital.

Thousands of people die from organ failures, in part because there are just too few donors.

”It's just really a matter of life and death for some families and a terrible shame,” transplant recipient Sally Satel said.

Satel testified before the council Monday on the bill to help boost donors by allowing tax credits of up to $25,000 for donor expenses.

“It was very hard for me to find a donor,” Satel said. “It took me about a year and a half.”

D.C. businessman Mital Gandhi, whose father died without a donor, is pressing for the bill, which would be the most generous in the nation. Gandhi later became sick himself but luckily got a kidney donation from his mother.

”Two days after my 30th birthday, she gave life to me again,” he said.

D.C. Council Finance Committee Chairman Jack Evans said he'll move the bill soon, saying any costs will be eased by returning healthy people to work.

“Both on a humanitarian and the financial area, I think this is the right approach, Evans said.

The bill was first introduced by Ward 8 Council member and former Mayor Marion Barry, who had a kidney transplant five years ago.

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