A bipartisan group of senators is advancing legislation aimed at holding Chinese officials accountable for allegations of forced organ harvesting, a practice that human rights advocates have condemned for years as one of the world’s most serious abuses.

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The measure would require the United States to investigate allegations of state-sponsored organ harvesting in China and impose sanctions on individuals found to be directly involved in the practice.

From The Epoch Times:

A bill that would sanction perpetrators of state-sponsored forced organ harvesting in China advanced through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 17.

The Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act would direct the U.S. government to compile a list of foreign individuals deemed to have knowingly and directly engaged in or facilitated forced organ harvesting in China.

Those listed would be blocked from transactions with any U.S. persons or entities, and see their U.S. properties frozen. The sanction would also bar the individuals from gaining entry to the United States, invalidate their current visas, and disqualify them from receiving immigration benefits.

The legislation was introduced earlier this year by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, drawing support from lawmakers in both parties. A similar version already passed the House of Representatives in 2025, signaling growing congressional concern over reports that prisoners of conscience and religious minorities have been targeted for their organs.

In addition to imposing sanctions, the bill would require the State Department to produce a comprehensive report on China’s organ transplantation system. The report would examine transplant numbers, organ sourcing practices, donation rates, procurement timelines, and allegations involving persecuted groups. It would also determine whether the Chinese Communist Party currently engages, or has previously engaged, in systematic forced organ harvesting.

The legislation cites concerns raised by the State Department, human rights organizations, and legal experts who have questioned China’s lack of transparency regarding organ procurement. Lawmakers noted that Beijing has yet to provide what they describe as a full, credible, and independently verifiable response to longstanding allegations.

Many of those allegations center on the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. After its rapid growth throughout China in the 1990s, the Chinese Communist Party launched a nationwide campaign to eradicate the movement. Human rights advocates have long argued that detained practitioners became a primary source of organs for China’s transplant industry.

In 2019, an independent tribunal in London concluded that forced organ harvesting had occurred in China on a substantial scale and found that Falun Gong practitioners were among the principal victims. More recently, concerns have expanded to include Uyghur Muslims, house Christians, and other persecuted groups who have faced detention and government repression.

These reports serve as a sobering reminder of the severe persecution many believers and religious minorities face around the world. The bill’s advancement reflects a growing effort by lawmakers to shine light on alleged abuses and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

What do you think of this legislation? Share your prayers for persecuted believers in China below.

(Excerpt from The Epoch Times. Photo Credit: Dong Fang – http://www.voachinese.com/content/ccp-congress-reps-proposals-measure-20121111/1543623.html)