New York, NY – February 4, 2026 –The Kidney Transplant Collaborative (KTC) applauds Congress upon enactment of the HOLD Act and approval of key appropriations to advance kidney care and transplant, contained in the 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act passed by the Senate on January 30 and by the House on February 3. The bill delivers key wins for patients and the kidney community.

“KTC has consistently advocated for policies that remove financial barriers so more people can step forward as living kidney donors,” said Dr. Andy Howard, MD, FACP, Chair of the Kidney Transplant Collaborative. “These investments reflect long standing priorities we have advanced to strengthen donor support, reduce unnecessary obstacles, and make living donation possible for more individuals, which is key to saving more lives.  Enactment of the HOLD Act and the authorization of appropriations to advance the transplant program are key steps towards making living donation a possibility for more Americans waiting on a transplant.”

The bill also reinforces ongoing efforts to modernize the nation’s transplant system, an urgent priority as recent KTC analysis shows an annual isolated decline in deceased donations and deceased donor kidney transplants, even while living donor kidney transplants increase and the kidney discard rate declines. Even more alarmingly, this deceased donor decline also led to an aggregate decline in kidney transplants in 2025. Federal leadership is essential to ensure available organs are not lost and patients are not left waiting.

The legislation strengthens transplant care by expanding support for living kidney donors, investing in kidney disease research and prevention, and advancing transplant system modernization to improve transparency and accountability.

By removing unnecessary financial barriers and expanding donor support programs, Congress is making it easier for more Americans to step forward and donate a kidney.

These victories reflect the power of advocacy. We thank the kidney community for showing up, and we urge Congress to finish the job by passing this package and translating these reforms into measurable improvements for patients and donors nationwide.

About the Kidney Transplant Collaborative

The Kidney Transplant Collaborative (KTC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing kidney transplants and removing financial and logistical barriers for kidney patients, donors, and their families. Unlike other initiatives, KTC is specifically focused on increasing the number of living donor transplants in the United States through policy advocacy, education, and community organizing. For more details, visit www.kidneytransplantcollaborative.com.