Recognizing Baby Zion Sarmiento

Floor Speech

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Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and remember a special little boy from my district in Florida, Baby Zion.

Like about half of people born with Down Syndrome, Baby Zion also had a heart defect--often easily corrected with surgery. Unfortunately, Baby Zion's surgeons were unable to repair his heart, and the only option left for his family--the only way to save his life--was a transplant.

His family went through all the right channels to request one. They followed the rules. The answer that they got was no.

Why?

Because he had a disability. The system failed him. The system decided that his life was worth less than someone without a disability.

No Federal law exists to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities who need an organ transplant.

No Federal law exists to help these families when they are most vulnerable.

No Federal law exists to save these lives.

Today, I am asking my colleagues to support legislation by my colleague from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers) to fix this tragic situation.

H.R. 1235, the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, is commonsense legislation that has absolutely no cost--unless we ignore it.

I personally met with Zion's family, and, in their grace, their hope is simply that we do the right thing and save the lives of many others like Baby Zion.

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