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If All Else Fails, U.S. Congressmen Propose Bill to Save Baby Charlie Gard by Making Him a Permanent U.S. Resident

Claire Chretien : Jul 10, 2017
LifeSiteNews.com

Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-OH, and Rep. Trent Franks, R-AZ, both strongly pro-life, said in a joint statement that they are introducing this bill to support the rights of Charlie's parents to continue to care for him.

(Washington, D.C.)—[LifeSiteNews] Two Congressmen announced ... they will introduce a private bill to make Charlie Gard a permanent resident of the United States. (Photo via LifeSiteNews.com)

Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-OH, and Rep. Trent Franks, R-AZ, both strongly pro-life, said in a joint statement that they are introducing this bill to support the rights of Charlie's parents to continue to care for him.

"Despite Charlie's heartbreaking condition, his parents have refused to give up hope," the legislators said. "They have advocated for him fiercely. They have raised over £1 million to pay for their son to receive experimental treatment in the United States. They have kept fighting for his life."

"By making Charlie a lawful permanent resident in the U.S.," he will be able to "receive treatments that could save his life," they said.

"Should this little boy to be ordered to die—because a third party, overriding the wishes of his parents, believes it can conclusively determine that immediate death is what is best for him?" they asked. 

Chris Gard and Connie Yates, Charlie's parents, have been fighting in European courts for their right to bring their 11-month-old to the U.S. for experimental treatment for his rare muscle and brain disease. They raised over $1 million to do this, but English courts sided with the hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital, which wants to remove him from life support rather than allow him to be transferred to another hospital.

Then, the European Court of Human Rights also sided with the hospital. Charlie was scheduled to die on Friday, June 30, but his parents have been granted more time with him. The hospital has the legal right to turn off Charlie's life support at any time now, and his parents aren't allowed to take him out of the hospital.

On Friday, Great Ormand Street Hospital announced it's asking the High Court to review the case again "in light of the claimed new evidence."

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