119-HR-5861 Journalist Public Summary

Public Summary: H.R. 5861 — “Legacy Act of 2025”

A quick, plain‑English overview for voters about what this bill would do and where it stands.

Headline Summary: Congress would ask the National Academies to study a secure, no‑cost national system to store and retrieve people’s “last wish” documents (like living wills and organ donation choices), then report back in two and four years.

What It Does: The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study how to create and maintain a confidential, secure, nationwide repository for “last wish documents.” These include advance directives, organ donor registrations, health‑care proxies, powers of attorney, and living wills. Access would be limited to an authorized agent, and individuals would pay nothing to store their documents. The National Academies must provide a status update two years after enactment and a final report after four years.

Who’s For It:

• Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D‑NY), sponsor, framing this as a way to make critical documents available when families and doctors need them most.
• Rep. Gregory Murphy (R‑NC), co‑sponsor, signaling bipartisan interest in improving end‑of‑life planning and healthcare decision‑making.
• Likely arguments from supporters: easier access for hospitals and families in emergencies; fewer disputes when a person’s wishes are documented and findable; potential to improve organ donation follow‑through; and reduced administrative burden when people move across states.

Who’s Against It:

• No formal opposition identified yet at this early stage; however, common concerns with national data systems could surface.
• Privacy and security skeptics may worry about hacking risks, misuse of sensitive information, and verifying who is an “authorized agent.”
• States’‑rights advocates could argue that a federal system might conflict with varied state laws on advance directives and powers of attorney.
• Fiscal hawks may question federal costs to build and run a secure system, and whether existing tools (state registries, electronic health records, or wallet cards) are sufficient.

What’s Next: As of October 30, 2025, H.R. 5861 has been introduced (October 28, 2025) and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The committee may hold hearings, request cost estimates, and decide whether to advance the bill. If Congress passes it and the President signs it, the National Academies would begin the study, with a 2‑year status update and a 4‑year final report timeline.