H.R. 5861

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5861 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5861

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to seek an 
agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
Medicine to conduct a study on establishing a system for storing last 
wish documents, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 28, 2025

Mr. Suozzi (for himself and Mr. Murphy) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to seek an 
agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
Medicine to conduct a study on establishing a system for storing last 
wish documents, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Legacy Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. STUDY ON ESTABLISHING SYSTEM FOR STORING AND RETRIEVING LAST 
WISH DOCUMENTS.

(a) In General.--The Secretary shall seek to enter into an 
agreement with the National Academies under which the National 
Academies conduct a study on establishing and maintaining a national, 
confidential, and secure system for storing and retrieving by an 
authorized agent a last wish document of an individual, at no cost to 
such individual.
(b) Submission of Status and Results.--The agreement entered into 
under subsection (a) shall require the National Academies to submit to 
the Secretary and Congress--
(1) not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the status of the study conducted under such 
agreement; and
(2) not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the results of the study conducted under such 
agreement.
(c) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Last wish document.--The term ``last wish document'' 
includes--
(A) an advance directive;
(B) an organ donor registration;
(C) a healthcare or medical proxy;
(D) a power of attorney; or
(E) a living will.
(2) National academies.--The term ``National Academies'' 
means the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
Medicine.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services.
<all>