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S. 636 105th Congress Senate

Gift of Life Congressional Medal Act of 1997

Official title: A bill to establish a congressional commemorative medal for organ donors and their families.

Introduced: July 14, 1998 See on congress.gov
Commemorations Awards, medals, prizesCoins and coinageCongressCongressional tributes
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Donation of organs, tissues, etc.Economics and Public FinanceFamiliesGiftsGovernment trust fundsHealthTransplantation of organs, tissues, etc.
This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 23, 1997
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking.
Apr 23, 1997
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3557-3558)
Apr 23, 1997
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action April 23, 1997

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Gift of Life Congressional Medal Act of 1997 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to design and strike a bronze medal to commemorate organ donors and their families.

Makes any organ donor, or the family or family member of any organ donor, eligible for the medal.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to direct the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) to arrange for medal presentation to eligible individuals.

Declares the medals to be national medals.

Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to enter into agreements with the OPTN to collect funds to offset expenditures relating to medal issuance.

Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit all solicited donations into the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 636: Gift of Life Congressional Medal Act of 1997. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-S-636/
MLA
"S. 636: Gift of Life Congressional Medal Act of 1997." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-S-636/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 636, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-S-636/.
Markdown link
[S. 636: Gift of Life Congressional Medal Act of 1997](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-S-636/)
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