Transplant Amendments Act of 1990
Public Law 101-616 · S. 2946 · 101st Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 16, 1990 · Health
Sponsor: Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
Cosponsors (12): Sen. Orrin Hatch, Sen. Barbara Mikulski,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Transplant Amendments Act of 1990 - Title I: National Bone Marrow Donor Registry - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, by contract, to establish and maintain a National Bone Marrow Donor Registry to take specified actions, including: (1) establish a system for finding donors; (2) establish a system of patient advocacy separate from mechanisms for donor advocacy; and (3) increase the representation of racial and ethnic minority groups in the potential donor pool.
Provides for confidentiality of records, establishing criminal monetary and imprisonment penalties for violations.
Authorizes appropriations.
Removes provisions directing the Secretary, by grant or contract, to establish a bone marrow registry.
Title II: Organ Transplants - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to, and enter into contracts with, qualified organ procurement organizations and other nonprofit entities for special projects to increase the number of organ donors. (Current law authorizes the Secretary to make grants for the same purpose but makes no reference to contracts or to the recipients of the grants or the contractees.) Removes provisions specifying matters the Secretary must consider in making grants.
Replaces a requirement that an organ procurement organization (OPO) be of sufficient size to expect to procure organs from at least 50 donors a year with provisions requiring that an OPO be of sufficient size to assure maximum effectiveness in the procurement and equitable distribution of organs. Repeals provisions of the Health Omnibus Programs Extension of 1988 specifying the effective date of related provisions with regard to certain OPOs.
Replaces provisions prohibiting the Network from being engaged in any activity unrelated to organ procurement with provisions requiring that the Network be an entity with expertise in organ procurement and transplantation. Modifies requirements regarding the composition of the Network's board of directors and the responsibilities of the Network.
Removes provisions specifying special considerations and priorities the Secretary must apply in considering grant applications.
Allows special project grants to be made for three (currently, two) years. Removes provisions limiting them to a maximum dollar amount.
Adds references to contracts to provisions relating to the amount of the grant or contract, advance payments, recordkeeping, and audits.
Removes the time limit on the requirement that the Secretary maintain an identifiable administrative unit in the Public Health Service relating to organ procurement and donation. Modifies the duties of the unit.
Modifies requirements regarding a report by the Secretary on the status of organ transplantation.
Authorizes appropriations to carry out provisions of the Public Health Service Act relating to organ transplants.
Title III: Severability - Declares that if any portion of this Act is declared unconstitutional the remainder of the Act shall not be affected.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Nov 16, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-616.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 9, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 26, 1990FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · On ordering a second Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Madigan demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Waxman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Oct 25, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Oct 13, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Aug 1, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Jul 31, 1990IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.