Multiple House Republicans are urging President Trump to take executive action to prevent hospitals and transplant centers from denying transplants to patients who decline the experimental COVID-19 shot.
Reps. Michael Rulli (R-OH) and Erin Houchin (R-IN) are spearheading the effort.
The action follows reports of a 12-year-old distant relative of Vice President J.D. Vance being denied a heart transplant because she’s unvaccinated against COVID-19 and flu.
The Indiana family said Cincinnati Children’s won’t put their daughter on the transplant waiting list because of her vaccination status.
“Janeen Deal, who is related by marriage to Vice President JD Vance’s half-siblings, said the hospital requires her daughter to receive COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, which Janeen and her husband are unwilling to do,” Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
JD Vance's 12-year-old relative 'denied a heart transplant because she's not vaccinated against COVID and flu' https://t.co/9Eg0TP9d8J
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) February 11, 2025
"Over the past week, it has come to light that multiple desperate Americans have been denied life-saving organ transplants due to their COVID-19 vaccination status," the House Republicans wrote in a letter, according to Fox News.
"This outrageous denial of care has affected some of our most vulnerable citizens – including a child from Indiana and a veteran from Ohio," it added.
"Patients – especially children – should never be turned away from care due to government-imposed mandates. This effort urges President Trump to take action to ensure no hospital or transplant center can discriminate against patients based on their decision to decline the COVID-19 vaccine," Houchin told Fox News Digital.
Trump urged to use executive power after Vance relative reportedly denied organ transplant over COVID vaccine https://t.co/ufrePj4VJh
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 27, 2025
Fox News reports:
Earlier this month, he and Houchin introduced a bill to stop federal funds from going to any entity that denies someone treatment based on COVID-19 vaccination status.
"President Trump has done such a great job recently on executive orders," Rulli told Fox News Digital in an interview. "And I am asking President Trump if he sees this, to please do an executive order… because you could save someone's life today."
ADVERTISEMENT"The timing is everything. If we don't get this done, people's lives could be at risk."
The letter, signed by Rulli, Houchin and five other House Republicans, cited Trump’s executive orders ending COVID-19 vaccine mandates in schools and reinstating military service members who were discharged for not getting the vaccine.
Ohio lawmaker urges President Trump to use executive order to protect unvaccinated patients from organ transplant denials after Vice President JD Vance relative was reportedly denied.
MORE HERE - https://t.co/DtJ6frHeZo pic.twitter.com/mSZBaZ8Esa— WTRF 7News (@WTRF7News) February 28, 2025
"Today @RepHouchin and I sent a letter to @POTUS urging President Trump to take immediate action against COVID-19 vaccine mandates with an Executive Order," Rulli wrote.
Today @RepHouchin and I sent a letter to @POTUS urging President Trump to take immediate action against COVID-19 vaccine mandates with an Executive Order. https://t.co/5biJdnvZqt #FoxNews
— Rep. Mike Rulli (@RepMichaelRulli) February 27, 2025
Per WTRF 7News:
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up. View the original article here.Lawmakers criticized mandates from the Biden Administration, stating that they are counterproductive and cause more harm than benefit.
The girl’s mother told news outlets that vaccinating her daughter against COVID-19 would conflict with their family’s religious beliefs and urged lawmakers to include the influenza vaccine in their request to Trump, emphasizing that both vaccines are necessary for her daughter to be eligible for a specific list.
ADVERTISEMENTNews outlets report that Vice President Vance acknowledged the situation and stated that he is working to assist.
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