InsideGov
Congress · Laws

National Organ Transplant Act

Public Law 98-507 · S. 2048 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 19, 1984 · Health

Sponsor: Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)

Cosponsors (8): Sen. Paula Hawkins,

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.

Report a correction

Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

National Organ Transplant Act - Title I: Task Force on Organ Procurement and Transplantation - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish within 90 days a Task Force on Organ Transplantation.

Directs the Task Force to: (1) examine and advise the Secretary regarding medical, legal, ethical, economic, and social issues presented by human organ procurement and transplantation; and (2) assess immunosuppressive medications used to prevent organ rejections, including considerations of safety, cost, insurance coverage, grants, Federal program coverage, and other means of assuring public access to such medications.

Authorizes the Task Force to make interim reports to the Secretary and the appropriate congressional committees. Requires: (1) an immunosuppressive medication report within seven months; and (2) a final report within 12 months. Terminates the Task Force three months after it submits such final report.

Title II: Organ Procurement Activities - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary to make grants for the planning of qualifed organ procurement organizations.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for the establishment, initial operation, and expansion of qualified organ procurement organizations. Directs the Secretary in making such grants to: (1) take into consideration any Task Force recommendations; and (2) give special consideration to applications from organ procurement organizations which cover geographic areas not adequately served by organ procurement organizations. Sets forth eligibility criteria, including the requirement of an agreement from the Secretary for kidney procurement reimbursement under title XIII of the Social Security Act. Authorizes FY 1985 through 1987 appropriations.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish an Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to provide a central registry linking donors and potential recipients; (2) establish a scientific registry of organ recipients; (3) designate and maintain an identifiable unit in the Public Health service to coordinate Federal organ transplant programs and policies; and (4) publish an annual report on the scientific and clinical status of organ transplantation.

Title III: Prohibition of Organ Purchase - Prohibits the purchase or sale of human organs if such transfer affects interstate commerce. Establishes criminal penalties for such violations.

Title IV: Miscellaneous - Directs the Secretary to: (1) convene a conference to examine the feasibility of establishing a registry of voluntary bone marrow donors, and to determine whether such registry would be effective in matching donors and recipients; (2) establish such a registry for study and demonstration purposes if the conference reaches a positive feasiblility conclusion; and (3) report to the appropriate congressional committees within two years.

Requires the Secretary to assure that potential donors have given informed consent prior to being listed in the registry, that their names are kept confidential, and that registry access is restricted.

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.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.

  1. Oct 19, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-507.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 10, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 4, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
  6. Oct 3, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
  8. Oct 2, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 98-1127 Filed in House.
  9. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 98-1127 Filed in House.
  10. Sep 27, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
  11. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
  12. Jun 29, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to request for conference. Appointed conferees. Hatch; Nickles; Quayle; Kennedy; Pell.
  13. FloorFloor · Senate disagreed to the House amendments by Voice Vote.
  14. Jun 21, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Requested a Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Dingell, Waxman, Luken, Walgren, Mikulski, Gore, Broyhill, Madigan, Dannemeyer.
  15. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Insisted on its Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  16. FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  17. Apr 11, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  18. Apr 6, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
  19. Mar 21, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
  20. Nov 3, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
  21. IntroducedIntroduced · 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.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.