In June 2021, over 70 organizations urged for co-sponsorship of the bipartisan Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2021. The House bill H.R.1592 is sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and the Senate bill S.602 is sponsored by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE). Read the full letter here.
Forced organ harvesting and organ trafficking is a growing issue, particularly for impoverished peoples. The victims have their organs taken from them and sold illegally. While the trafficker makes a large profit, the victim is left with little to no money and must deal with the significant health issues that come with the practice. As noted by the United Nations, the practice of forced organ harvesting is expanding in China to the detriment of China’s minority populations.
Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2021:
- Expands the U.S. government’s powers to combat organ harvesting
- Imposes harsher penalties for purchasing organs
- Prohibits the export of organ transplant surgery devices to entities responsible for human organ trafficking
- Imposes sanctions on individuals and government officials in countries who support human organ trafficking and forced organ harvesting
- Introduces mandatory reporting on human organ trafficking in foreign countries and on U.S. institutions that train organ transplant surgeons
In June, 12 United Nations Special Procedures mandate holders raised the issue of forced organ harvesting with the Chinese Government in response to credible information that Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Muslims, and Christians are killed for their organs in China. UN human rights experts have called on the Chinese Government to “allow independent monitoring by international human rights mechanisms.”