The US House of Representatives has passed the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2025, authored by Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ). The bill aims to impose sanctions on individuals involved in forced organ harvesting or trafficking for organ removal. Rep. Smith emphasized the severity of the issue, stating that “every year under General Secretary Xi Jinping and his Chinese Communist Party, tens of thousands of young women and men—average age 28—are murdered in cold blood to steal their internal organs for profit or to be transplanted into communist party cadres—members and leaders.” The bill passed with a vote of 406-1.
Smith highlighted the cruelty involved in these practices, noting that “between 2 to 6 internal organs per victim are extracted,” describing it as “murder masquerading as medicine.” He identified Uyghurs and Falun Gong practitioners as primary targets due to their good health and peaceful practices.
Previously, a similar version of Smith’s bill was passed by the House in 2023 but failed in the Senate. Without legislative action, Smith claims that the Chinese Communist Party’s organ harvesting activities have continued unabated.
The legislation amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to enforce sanctions against those facilitating forced organ harvesting. It also mandates comprehensive reports on such activities globally, particularly focusing on China. Penalties include fines up to $1 million and imprisonment for up to 20 years.
Several human rights advocates joined Smith at a press conference at the Capitol Building. Rushan Abbas from Campaign for Uyghurs commented on the situation: “People disappear overnight, and their hearts, lungs and kidneys are sold to the highest bidder.” Omer Kanat from Uyghur Human Rights Project remarked on how dehumanization allows authorities to use Uyghurs as an “organ bank.”
Mark Yang from Falun Dafa Information Center praised Rep. Chris Smith’s leadership: “Thanks to Rep. Chris Smith – who has stood with us from the very beginning – we now see the fruits of his unwavering leadership.”
Numerous human rights organizations have endorsed Smith’s bill. They sent a letter urging all House members to support HR 1503: “Your support and passage of this legislation will ensure that the United States is combating and not complicit in the heinous practice of forced organ harvesting.”
