Tallahassee Sun

On Friday, Congressman Neal Dunn from Florida introduced the Block Organ Transplant Purchases from China Act, also known as the BLOCK Act. The proposed legislation aims to stop federal reimbursement for organ transplants and related medical services when the origin of the organs cannot be verified. This measure is intended to prevent participation in illegal Chinese organ markets.

Congressman Dunn stated, "The Chinese Communist Party has a long track record of human rights violations stemming from illegal organ harvesting in their own country." He emphasized that ethnic and religious minorities in China, such as Uyghurs, are often targeted for this practice. "The United States must do everything in its power to ensure that we are not participating in illegal Chinese organ harvesting," he added.

Congressman John Moolenaar highlighted the urgency of addressing forced organ harvesting: "The BLOCK Act is a critical step in ensuring that no federal funds are used to support the illegal and inhumane procurement of organs tied to China’s brutal, state-sponsored campaign." He warned against complicity by healthcare providers and called for accountability: "Americans who participate in this violation of human rights will face severe penalties."

Congressman Gus Bilirakis also commented on China's practices: "There is overwhelming evidence that China has systemically targeted ethnic and religious minorities for forcibly acquired organ donation." He stressed the need to avoid perpetuating these human rights violations by providing a market for such organs.

A 2023 report by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) included recommendations for Congress and the Biden Administration to combat forced organ harvesting. Reports have indicated China's involvement as a major harvester and trafficker of forcibly acquired organs. The American Journal of Transplantation published findings suggesting physician involvement in executions through organ removal.

Experts estimate that China's human organ trafficking industry generates $1 billion annually, fueled partly by concentration camp inmates' harvested organs. The BLOCK Act would prohibit federal reimbursements unless an entity participating in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network verifies the transplanted organ's origin. It would also impose civil penalties on healthcare providers knowingly involved in prohibited transplants.

Joining Congressman Dunn are Representatives Gus Bilirakis and John Moolenaar, who chairs the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.