U.S. Congress Passes 'Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Bill HR 1503'

US Congress passes historic bill targeting forced organ harvesting, sanctions Chinese officials, and calls for global action against human rights abuses by Chinese Communist Party.

- DEAN BAXENDALE

In a significant step forward for human rights, the United States Congress has passed HR 1503—the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2025—a landmark bill that confronts the chilling reality of forced organ harvesting, predominantly carried out by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

This bill brings long-overdue legislative muscle to a crisis that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, fueling an illicit organ trade industry estimated to be worth over $9 billion USD annually.

The practice, as grim as it is lucrative, has its roots in the brutal persecution of the Qigong movement, which included main groups. Zhong Gong, at its peak, had millions of adherents. It was founded by Zhang Hongbao. Zhong Gong, like Falun Dafa, was also banned in 1999. Zhang fled to America via Guam but tragically died in a car accident in California in 2004.

After the banning of Falun Dafa in 1999, tens of millions of peaceful followers of a meditation practice based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance have been relentlessly targeted by the Chinese Communist Party.

Detained arbitrarily, tortured, and dehumanized, thousands have been killed on demand for their organs. Over time, the CCP expanded this horrific policy to include Uyghur Muslims, political dissidents, Tibetans, and other marginalized groups.

This practice, which flouts every tenet of human decency and international law, has been condemned by rights organizations and investigative bodies around the world. Yet, until now, meaningful legislative consequences have been scarce.

Congressman Chris Smith, a long-time champion for human rights, introduced the first iteration of this bill in 2023. Despite its bipartisan support, it died on the Senate floor, a sobering reminder of the uphill battle in holding totalitarian regimes accountable.