Bernie Sanders put children’s health in danger with one disgusting vote
Sanders has done some bad things as a senator. But this may take the cake.
Because Bernie Sanders put children’s health in danger with one disgusting vote.
Long-Fought Victory for Pediatric Cancer Patients Blocked
After years of relentless advocacy from the pediatric cancer community, a pivotal bill aimed at improving access to advanced drug treatments for children with cancer was on the verge of becoming law.
The Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act authorized the FDA to compel pharmaceutical companies to investigate combination therapies that could potentially save young lives. Despite numerous obstacles, the legislation seemed destined for triumph: unanimous Senate approval, presidential signing, and much-needed support for families enduring prolonged hardship.
Then, a single senator halted its progress: Bernie Sanders.
On the evening the bill advanced to the Senate floor, the gallery was packed with advocates, journalists, bereaved siblings, and a cancer survivor, all anticipating a uncommon display of cross-aisle unity. Instead, Sanders raised an objection to unanimous consent, derailing the bill’s forward motion in a tense floor confrontation that caught most observers off guard. His opposition wasn’t to the bill’s core mission—he endorses it in principle—but to extraneous amendments added to it and his demand that separate health-care measures be advanced concurrently.
“He is literally k*lling kids in front of us because of his political movement,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), who forcefully supported the Give Kids a Chance Act, said. “It is ridiculous.”
“A unanimous vote in the chamber would have allowed the bill to bypass several steps, which typically involve the committee process and rules for debate, to move it straight along,” the New York Post noted. “Given that the bill had already unanimously cleared the House, it only needed to get through the Senate before going straight to President Trump’s desk for his signature.”
The Heartbreaking Inspiration Behind the Bill
The legislation’s late surge in traction stemmed directly from the efforts of Mikaela Naylon, a 16-year-old battling terminal osteosarcoma who had endured below-knee amputation, several lung operations, radiation, and radioactive therapies. In her remaining weeks—after physicians informed her time was critically short—she dedicated herself to advocating for the bill in Congress rather than focusing solely on comfort.
Even after returning to her Colorado home, she continued virtual meetings with lawmakers. As her strength faded, her parents eventually voiced her messages while she listened in. Her final conversation was with Sen. John Hickenlooper on October 29, passing away just three hours afterward.
Following Mikaela’s passing, the House unanimously approved the bill bearing her name. All senators except one stood prepared to follow suit.
Sanders’ Stance and the Bill’s Demise
Sanders defended his obstruction by contending that cost savings outlined in the bill ought to support community health centers and that previously stalled bipartisan health initiatives should be resurrected in tandem. By adopting an all-or-nothing approach, he guaranteed that affected children received no relief at all.
Ultimately, as the Senate adjourned for the holidays, the bill expired with the session’s end. Sanders might assert he was pursuing broader ambitions, but the record will show that, faced with an opportunity to provide prompt aid to gravely ill children, he prioritized procedural rigor and strategic positioning over action. Tangible, step-by-step advancement was within reach. He alone deemed it insufficient—and children bore the cost.
