Gottheimer, Lawler introduce bipartisan bill to expand organ donor registration nationwide
VALHALLA, N.Y. (Westchester County) — U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., announced bipartisan legislation Thursday aimed at making it easier for Americans to register as organ donors through federal and state applications while improving coordination between organ donor registries.
The lawmakers introduced the Lauren Shields Organ Donation Act during an announcement Oct. 22 at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. The legislation is named in honor of Lauren Shields of Stony Point, New York, an organ donation advocate who received a heart transplant as a child and died in June at age 26.
The proposed legislation would allow Americans to register as organ donors through federal applications they already complete, including those for Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, passports and federal individual income tax returns.
“When my mother was battling sarcoidosis, a rare lung disease, she tried valiantly to get a new lung – perhaps the only chance at saving her life. She never received one,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “The bipartisan Lauren Shields Organ Donation Act will build on Lauren’s legacy and make it easier for Americans to register as organ donors, say yes across our country — just as Lauren would have wanted.”
The bill would also direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, to establish a secure, automated electronic system to help ensure organ donor registration information is accurately updated across state and national registries.
Additionally, the legislation would create a federal grant program to help states incorporate organ donor registration into more applications, including those for Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
Other potential registration opportunities would include concealed carry permit applications and voter registration forms. States would have the option to participate in the program and determine which applications would include organ donor registration.
The legislation honors Shields, who developed severe heart failure at age 8 and spent six weeks on the transplant waiting list, including time on mechanical cardiac support and in a medically induced coma, before receiving a heart transplant.
Following her recovery, Shields became an advocate for organ donation and helped champion New York’s Lauren’s Law in 2012. She continued to experience health complications and received a kidney transplant from her mother, Jeanne, in 2020. Shields died June 26, 2026, at age 26.
“Lauren Shields dedicated her life to giving others hope, and her legacy will continue to save lives for generations to come. I was proud to call Lauren a friend, and I know firsthand the impact she had on our community and her advocacy of organ donation. This legislation not only honors her life by making it easier for Americans to register as organ donors, but it also helps ensure their wishes are reflected across all donor registries. At a time when thousands of Americans are waiting for a lifesaving transplant, this bipartisan legislation is an important step toward expanding access to organ donation and carrying forward Lauren’s extraordinary legacy,” said Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17).
The proposal has received support from organ donation advocates and health care organizations, including Waitlist Zero, NewYork-Presbyterian, the Greater New York Hospital Association, the Healthcare Association of New York State, the American Heart Association, Montefiore Nyack Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
“Waitlist Zero is proud to support the Lauren Shields Organ Donation Act. This legislation will make it easier for Americans who want to give the gift of life to register as organ donors. Lauren understood the extraordinary power of organ donation personally. After receiving a heart transplant at just eight years old, Lauren devoted her life to advocating for organ donation. Tragically, Lauren died at just 26 while waiting for a kidney transplant. We can think of no more fitting tribute to her life than legislation that helps more Americans become organ donors and allows more patients to receive the lifesaving transplants they need. We are grateful to Representatives Lawler and Gottheimer for honoring Lauren’s remarkable legacy and championing lifesaving organ donation,” said Elaine Perlman, Executive Director, Waitlist Zero.
“Congressman Mike Lawler’s sponsorship of the Lauren Shields Organ Donation Act is a meaningful step toward increasing organ donor registration and expanding access to lifesaving transplants. It is especially fitting that this legislation honors Lauren Shields, a Rockland County resident whose life exemplified the extraordinary impact of organ donation. After receiving a heart transplant at age eight and a kidney transplant from her mother in 2020, Lauren became a passionate advocate who helped inspire New York’s Lauren’s Law and devoted her career at LiveOnNY to supporting organ donation and transplantation. Her legacy lives on through this important effort to provide hope to the thousands of Americans awaiting a lifesaving transplant. We commend Congressman Lawler for his leadership and commitment to advancing this vital cause,” said Mark E. Geller, MD, FACR, President and CEO, Montefiore Nyack Hospital, a member of the Montefiore Health System.
Kenneth E. Raske, president of the Greater New York Hospital Association, said expanding donor registration opportunities could help increase the number of available organs for patients awaiting transplants.
“For New York’s hospitals and transplant programs, every additional donor represents another opportunity to save a life. The Lauren Shields Organ Donation Act is a commonsense measure that makes it easier to register as a donor and expands access to lifesaving transplants. The hospital community thanks Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) for their leadership and advancing efforts to increase organ donation. We also applaud the legacy of Lauren Shields, whose tireless advocacy helped advance organ donation in New York and continues to inspire this important work nationwide,” said Kenneth E. Raske, President, Greater New York Hospital Association.
“The Healthcare Association of New York State has long supported efforts to raise awareness of organ and tissue donation and encourage donor enrollment,” said Thomas J. Quatroche Jr., PhD, president and CEO, HANYS. “The Lauren Shields Organ Donation Act will create more opportunities for individuals to easily register as organ donors, helping the more than 8,000 New Yorkers awaiting lifesaving transplants. I thank Rep. Lawler for his leadership on this critical legislation that will ultimately save lives.”
NewYork-Presbyterian officials also expressed support for the legislation, citing Shields’ advocacy and the impact of transplantation on patients and their families.
“As physicians, we see the profound impact transplantation can have on patients and families. Lauren Shields was a powerful example of that. After receiving a transplant as a child, she became a leading advocate for organ donation, helping shape policy in New York State,” said Julia Iyasere, M.D., MBA, Senior Vice President, System Chief Medical Officer at NewYork-Presbyterian. “This legislation builds on that progress by bringing the same approach to communities across the country. We commend Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) for championing this bipartisan effort.”
Gottheimer has also supported several other organ donation initiatives, including the LOVE Act, which seeks to expand living kidney donation, and the Living Donor Protection Act, which would provide protections against insurance and employment discrimination for living organ donors.
He also backs the Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act, which would examine how technology can help hospitals identify potential donors and notify organ donation teams, and the End Kidney Deaths Act, which proposes financial incentives for certain kidney donations.
In addition, Gottheimer supported the Charlotte Woodward Act, which passed the U.S. House last year and seeks to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities during the organ transplant process.
The Lauren Shields Organ Donation Act would need congressional approval before becoming law.
