Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§274i Eligibility Requirements for Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal

Title 42 › Chapter 6A— PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter II— GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES › Part H–1— Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal › § 274i

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Organ donors, or their families, can receive a Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal if funds are available and the rules are met. The Secretary of Health and Human Services must tell the group that runs the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to set up an application system. The local organ procurement organization that handled the donation must send proof of eligibility, the Network will check the papers (and investigate if needed), and then provide medals for people or families found eligible. Only 1 medal is normally given to a family. It should go to the family member who donated, or if the donor is deceased, to the person who signed the consent. If more than 1 family member donated organs, a medal may be given for each donor.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §274i

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Subject to the provisions of this section and the availability of funds under this part, any organ donor, or the family of any organ donor, shall be eligible for a Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal (hereafter in this part referred to as a “medal”).

(b)The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall direct the entity operating the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to—

(1)establish an application procedure requiring the relevant organ procurement organization through which an individual or family of the individual made an organ donation, to submit to such entity documentation supporting the eligibility of the individual or the family, respectively, to receive a medal;

(2)determine through the documentation provided and, if necessary, independent investigation whether the individual or family, respectively, is eligible to receive such a medal; and

(3)arrange for the presentation to the relevant organ procurement organization all medals struck pursuant to section 274i–2 of this title to individuals or families that are determined to be eligible to receive medals.

(c)(1)Except as provided in paragraph (2), only 1 medal may be presented to a family under subsection (b). Such medal shall be presented to the donating family member, or in the case of a deceased donor, the family member who signed the consent form authorizing, or who otherwise authorized, the donation of the organ involved.

(2)In the case of a family in which more than 1 member is an organ donor, a medal may be presented for each such organ donor.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 274i

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60