Cammack Reintroduces Bipartisan Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Act

Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) is reintroducing the bipartisan Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act with Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI), ending discrimination against people with disabilities in the organ transplant system.

Rep. Cammack's legislation updates the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act by clarifying that organ transplants cannot be denied to disabled individuals and prohibits covered entities from determining an individual is ineligible to receive a transplant, denying an organ transplant or related service, refusing 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.

The bill is named after activist Charlotte Woodward of the National Down Syndrome Society, who was able to receive a lifesaving heart transplant and has since fought to ensure disabled Americans have equal access to organ transplants as those who are not disabled.

Rep. Cammack has said she was inspired to draft the bill after the son of one of her Ocala constituents, a baby boy named Zion Sarmiento, was born with Down Syndrome and a heart defect in June 2021. Little Zion was denied a heart transplant due to being born with Down Syndrome and passed away 40 days after birth despite attempts to save his life.

In her press release, the Florida Congresswoman said, "I'm pleased to join my bipartisan colleagues on both sides of the aisle in introducing the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act. Organ transplants and other lifesaving treatments should not be subjective."

Cammack referenced the tragedy of Zion, adding, "In my district, a young infant with Down syndrome, Baby Zion, was denied a lifesaving heart transplant and passed away as a result in 2021. His life was worth saving, and we're fighting to end discrimination in the organ transplant system so the same thing never happens again."

Similarly, Rep. Dingell said, "It's unconscionable that people with disabilities can be passed over for lifesaving organ transplants based on discriminatory and subjective judgments and assumptions about their quality of life. I'm proud to reintroduce this legislation to guarantee that eligible individuals aren't declined a transplant based on their disability and ensure they have the support and services they need in post-operative recovery."

The House passed the bill in September.