Lauren Shields Organ Donation Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10884 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10884

To provide additional options on certain Federal application forms to allow an individual to elect to be an organ donor and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 22, 2026

Mr. Lawler (for himself, Mr. Gottheimer, and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Veterans' Affairs, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To provide additional options on certain Federal application forms to allow an individual to elect to be an organ donor and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Lauren Shields Organ Donation Act''.

SEC. 2. SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.

(a) Title II.--Section 205 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(v) The Commissioner of Social Security shall-- ``(1) ensure that, with respect to applications for benefits under this title made available on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this clause, such applications include an option to allow an individual applying for such benefits to elect to be an organ donor; and ``(2) with respect to each individual who elects to be an organ donor through such application, transmit such individual's election to the organ donation registry of the State in which such individual resides and to the national organ donation registry established by Donate to Life America (or to a successor national registry).''. (b) Title XVI.--Section 1631 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1383) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(q) The Commissioner of Social Security shall-- ``(1) ensure that all applications for benefits under this title made available on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection include an option to allow the applicant to elect to be an organ donor; and ``(2) with respect to each individual who elects to be an organ donor through such application, transmit such individual's election to the organ donation registry of the State in which such individual resides and to the national organ donation registry established by Donate to Life America (or to a successor national registry).''.

SEC. 3. MEDICARE.

(a) Medicare.-- (1) Part a.-- (A) Entitlement.--Section 226 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 426) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(k) The Secretary shall-- ``(1) ensure that, with respect to applications for benefits under part A of title XVIII made available on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, such applications include an option to allow an individual applying for such benefits to elect to be an organ donor; and ``(2) with respect to each individual who elects to be an organ donor through such application, transmit such individual's election to the organ donation registry of the State in which such individual resides and to the national organ donation registry established by Donate to Life America (or to a successor national registry).''. (B) ESRD.--Section 226A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 426-1) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(d) The Secretary shall-- ``(1) ensure that, with respect to applications for benefits under this section made available on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, such applications include an option to allow an individual applying for such benefits to elect to be an organ donor; and ``(2) with respect to each individual who elects to be an organ donor through such application, transmit such individual's election to the organ donation registry of the State in which such individual resides and to the national organ donation registry established by Donate to Life America (or to a successor national registry).''. (C) Other enrollments.--Section 1818 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i-2) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(h) The Secretary shall-- ``(1) ensure that, with respect to applications for benefits under this part made available for enrollments under this section on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, such applications include an option to allow an individual applying for such benefits to elect to be an organ donor; and ``(2) with respect to each individual who elects to be an organ donor through such application, transmit such individual's election to the organ donation registry of the State in which such individual resides and to the national organ donation registry established by Donate to Life America (or to a successor national registry).''. (2) Part b.--Section 1837 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395o) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(p) The Secretary shall-- ``(1) ensure that, with respect to applications for enrollment under this part made available on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, such applications include an option to allow an individual applying for such benefits to elect to be an organ donor; and ``(2) with respect to each individual who elects to be an organ donor through such application, transmit such individual's election to the organ donation registry of the State in which such individual resides and to the national organ donation registry established by Donate to Life America (or to a successor national registry).''.

SEC. 4. VETERANS BENEFITS.

(a) In General.--Section 5101 of title 38, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and (2) by inserting, after subsection (d), the following new subsection (e): ``(e)(1) A form described in subsection (a) shall include an option that allows the claimant to elect to be an organ donor. ``(2) With respect to each claimant who elects to be an organ donor through such application, the Secretary shall transmit such claimant's election to the organ donation registry of the State in which such claimant resides and to the national organ donation registry established by Donate to Life America (or to a successor national registry).''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the day that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 5. PASSPORTS.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall ensure, with respect to passport application forms made available on or after the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, that such forms include an option to allow an individual applying for a passport to elect to be an organ donor. (b) Types of Forms, Applications, etc.--The option on the passport application form required by subsection (a) should be added to-- (1) initial passport application forms (DS-11); (2) renewal applications (DS-82); and (3) data corrections, name changes, and limited-validity passports (DS-5504). (c) Transmission of Election.--With respect to each individual who elects to be an organ donor through a passport application form required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall transmit such individual's election to the organ donation registry of the State in which such individual resides and to the national organ donation registry established by the Donate to Life America (or to a successor national registry). (d) Passport Defined.--In this section, the term ``passport'' includes a passport card.

SEC. 6. INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAX RETURNS.

(a) In General.--Subpart B of part II of subchapter A of chapter 61 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after section 6015 the following new section:

``SEC. 6016. ORGAN DONATION.

``(a) In General.--In the case of any return of tax of an individual for any taxable year beginning after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall ensure that the form for such return of tax includes an option that allows such individual to elect to be an organ donor. ``(b) Disclosure of Election.--With respect to each individual who elects to be an organ donor through such return, the Secretary shall transmit such individual's election to the organ donation registry of the State in which such individual resides and to the national organ donation registry established by Donate to Life America (or to a successor national registry).''. (b) Cross Reference.--Section 6103(l) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ``(23) Organ donation information.--For authority to disclose organ donation information, see section 6016(b).''. (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart B of part II of subchapter A of chapter 61 of such Code is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 6015 the following new item:

``Sec. 6016. Organ donation.''. (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall apply to returns filed for taxable years beginning after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 7. ELECTRONIC DATA TRANSFER SYSTEM FOR ORGAN DONOR REGISTRY.

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall develop and implement a secure and automated electronic data transfer system to help instantly update an individual's donor status in-- (1) the national system described in section 372(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 274(b)(2)(A)(ii)); and (2) any applicable State organ donor registry.

SEC. 8. GRANTS FOR REGISTRATION OF ORGAN DONORS THROUGH STATE FORMS AND APPLICATIONS.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, (in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall award to each eligible State, for each fiscal year for which funding is available, a grant to modify State forms and applications to serve as vehicles for individuals to register as organ donors in-- (1) the national system described in section 372(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 274(b)(2)(A)(ii)); and (2) any applicable State organ donor registry. (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, a State shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form and manner as the Secretary may specify, which shall include-- (1) descriptions of any State forms and applications that could serve as vehicles for an individual to register as an organ donor under the national system and registries described in subsection (a); and (2) plans to use funding under the grant to modify such State forms and applications to serve as such vehicles. (c) Definitions.--In this section: (1) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and the territories and possessions of the United States. (2) State forms and applications.--The term ``State forms and applications'' means, with respect to a State, forms and applications of the State related to-- (A) the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); (B) the provision of health insurance through a State-run marketplace or other system; (C) the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) (commonly known as ``SNAP''); (D) the temporary assistance for needy families program under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) (commonly known as ``TANF''); (E) the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act (42 U.S.C. 1786) (commonly known as ``WIC''); (F) the low-income home energy assistance program under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.) (commonly known as ``LIHEAP''); (G) voter registration; (H) concealed carry of a firearm; or (I) such other programs or activities as the State determines appropriate. <all>