Rep. Cammack’s Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act passes in the House
Press release from the office of Rep. Kat Cammack
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Kat Cammack’s bill, H.R. 2706, the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, passed the House of Representatives.
The bill is named after Charlotte Woodward, an adult woman with Down syndrome who received a lifesaving heart transplant over 12 years ago. Congresswoman Cammack’s introduction of the bill was inspired by Baby Zion Sarmiento from Ocala, Florida. Zion was born with Down syndrome and a heart defect in June 2021. Following 40 days in the NICU and five open-heart surgeries, Zion passed away after being denied a heart transplant because of his disability.
“This is a monumental day for all of us,” said Rep. Cammack. “I want to thank Charlotte, Bobbi, and Josh Sarmiento, and all of the advocates who have worked hard to get this bill to this point. We’re inspired by your stories and will continue to fight for this issue so no other American experiences what the Sarmiento family—and so many others—did.”
“I’m grateful to my colleague, Rep. Debbie Dingell, for her partnership and work on this bill and to Senator Rubio for his leadership on this issue in the Senate. Finally, I extend my thanks to Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers for her leadership on this issue and so many others affecting this community,” she added.
The legislation prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the organ transplant system by upholding, clarifying, and building upon rights established in the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Additionally, it prohibits covered entities from determining an individual is ineligible to receive a transplant, deny an organ transplant or related service, refuse to refer the individual to an organ transplant center, refuse to place an individual on a waiting list, or decline insurance coverage for a transplant or related service based solely on the fact that the individual has a disability.
“It’s unthinkable that people with disabilities are passed over for life-saving transplants based on discriminatory and subjective assumptions about their ability to comply with post-operative care,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell. “This bill takes important action to ensure that all Americans, regardless of disability status, receive equitable access to the care they need. I’m glad to see it one step closer to becoming law.”
“The passage of the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Act by the House of Representatives marks a monumental step towards ensuring that discrimination based solely on disability is eradicated from our organ transplant system,” says Kandi Pickard, President and CEO of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). “NDSS is proud to support this critical legislation, named after NDSS staff member and self-advocate, Charlotte Woodward, and thanks Congresswomen Kat Cammack and Debbie Dingell for their steadfast leadership in the House of Representatives. Discrimination against individuals with Down syndrome and other disabilities has no place in a system that is designed to save lives.”
Congresswoman Cammack spoke about the bill this afternoon on the House Floor. View her remarks here and read an excerpt from her speech as prepared for delivery below.
“Baby Zion deserved the same chance at life as any other American but was denied a heart transplant by three doctors because he had Down syndrome and they decided ‘they couldn’t waste a heart.’ Couldn’t—WASTE—a heart.
“The tragic story of Baby Zion, the courage of his parents Josh and Bobbi, and the drive of so many incredible advocates have led us today to H.R. 2706, the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, would prohibit healthcare providers and other entities from denying or restricting an individual’s access to organ transplants solely based on an individual’s disability.”
The GOP is now sponsoring legislation to “build on the Americans with Disabilities Act”? Back in 1990, conservative evangelicals led the opposition to the ADA and claimed the cost of the federal government requiring small businesses to build wheelchair ramps would bankrupt many, and ruin the US economy. Glad to see you’re now tacitly admitting you were wrong.
Now introduce legislation so a person won’t be denied an abortion.
I’d be good with that if it included wording that restricted it’s use to protect the life of the mother, and not as a means of birth control because some irresponsible girl decided to let it all out one night, or day. Perhaps in the case of incest or rape as well, but definitely not as a means of birth control simply because somebody didn’t want to take other precautions.
Is it my imagination or she she all of a sudden introducing an above average, (for her), amount of legislation?
Must be an election year.
I don’t know the figures, but I would guess a large percentage of these mega NICU patients will have their bills paid by Medicaid, ie the taxpayers. I guess many of these run up a bill of half a million to a million dollars.
She will not advocate for Florida to adopt the expanded Medicaid provisions of Obamacare, to cover millions of living and working Florida residents with healthcare. But she can advocate to spend millions of tax dollars to give transplants to persons who are essentially vegetables, because she is a big tax spender if it fits her political purposes in an election year. She is so horrible.
How about introducing no new legislation..
With Debbie Dingell as co-sponsor, a rare bi-partisan bill, and rare kudos to Kat for getting something done as opposed to partisan posturing. Not clear if it has passed in the senate or has a chance there.
I have no informed opinion on this other than sympathy for anyone in need of an organ transplant. I assume if organs are scarce, some weighing of recipients overall health, expectations for longer life, etc are valid measuring sticks. I don’t know how that’s done now and what is allowed, but I would think outlawing “discrimination” against the disabled would mean their disability could not be used in an evaluation for best candidate to receive a transplant if organs are limited. Given that “disability” is a very broad term with no technical definition, it could mean many things, some of which could be life shortening.
I’d love to hear more from people who know more about this.
nice job Big kat . But you are still forcing 12 year old rape victims to give birth to a Crime , and the sperm donor Rapist could possibly get parental rights and custody . Big kat cammack is no friend to women or Freedom of Floridians . She obviously has nothing to worry about , nobody would touch her .