WASHINGTON DC — On March 3, 2025, the Falun Gong Protection Act (FGPA) was reintroduced in the 119th Congress by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) in the Senate and Congressman Scott Perry (R-PA) in the House of Representatives. The bipartisan and bicameral bill, S.817 and H.R.1540, is a crucial step toward holding the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable for its ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and egregious human rights abuses, including forced organ harvesting.
“For too long, the CCP has operated with impunity, detaining, torturing, and even killing Falun Gong practitioners for their faith,” said Levi Browde, executive director of the Falun Dafa Information Center. “With this bill’s reintroduction, Congress is reaffirming its commitment to religious freedom and human rights, and we urge its swift passage.”
Congressional support
A similar bill was introduced last Congress and passed the House of Representatives unanimously but did not progress in the Senate. Upon reintroducing the bill for the 119th Congress, Senator Ted Cruz stated, “China’s persecution of Falun Gong practitioners is an attack on religious freedom and human rights. It’s long past time to dismantle the CCP’s state-sponsored organ harvesting industry. I urge my colleagues to join me in countering these human rights violations and ensuring the CCP is held accountable.”
Representative Scott Perry echoed this sentiment, saying, “The United States, as the beacon of freedom around the world, cannot be silent when the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in systemic torturing, incarceration, and forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners. The CCP and its enablers must be held accountable for these atrocities.”
In addition to the two members who introduced the bill, it has garnered nine co-sponsors in the House and three in the Senate from both the Republican and Democratic parties, with more co-sponsors expected.
Establishing a clear U.S. policy
Since July 1999, the CCP has carried out one of the world’s largest campaigns of religious persecution campaigns against tens of millions of Falun Gong practitioners. This includes arbitrary detention, forced labor, systematic torture, and reports of thousands of deaths in custody. Despite multiple congressional resolutions condemning these abuses, no legally binding U.S. policy has been established—until now.
The Falun Gong Protection Act would:
Require the U.S. government to assess whether the persecution of Falun Gong constitutes an “atrocity” under the Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2018.
Mandate targeted sanctions on CCP officials responsible for religious suppression and forced organ harvesting.
Work with allies, partners, and multilateral institutions to highlight the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong and coordinate targeted sanctions and visa restrictions.
“After 25 years, it’s time for the U.S. to take decisive action,” Browde emphasized. “This bill will send a message to the CCP that these crimes will not be ignored.”
Imposing sanctions, preventing U.S. complicity
The FGPA will impose mandatory sanctions on individuals involved in forced organ harvesting, including:
Blocking property and financial assets of those identified as perpetrators.
Denying visas and U.S. entry to individuals known to have engaged in or facilitated involuntary organ harvesting.
Requiring the President to submit a list of sanctioned individuals and update it annually as new information becomes available.
These measures will help prevent U.S. institutions from being complicit in China’s transplant abuses and send a strong signal of accountability.
Exposing organ harvesting practices
Independent investigations, including the 2019 China Tribunal chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, have confirmed that Falun Gong practitioners have been the primary victims of forced organ harvesting in China. Despite Beijing’s claims of reform, mounting evidence—including falsified transplant statistics and medical testing on detained practitioners—indicate that these abuses persist in secret.
The FGPA strengthens efforts to uncover these crimes by mandating a comprehensive U.S. government report on:
China’s de jure and de facto organ transplant policies and their implications for prisoners of conscience.
The scale of organ transplants and donor availability in China, assessing discrepancies in official data.
U.S. grants and research collaborations related to China’s organ transplant industry over the past decade.
A formal determination on whether the persecution of Falun Gong constitutes an atrocity.
‘Pass it without delay’
The reintroduction of the Falun Gong Protection Act reaffirms Congress’s bipartisan commitment to combating religious persecution, protecting innocent lives, and preventing U.S. complicity in China’s human rights violations. It also demonstrates Congress’s unwavering stance against CCP censorship and coercion, reaffirming the United States’ role as a leader in defending fundamental freedoms worldwide.
“This legislation isn’t just about Falun Gong—it’s about standing up for justice and human dignity and protecting the lives of all prisoners subject to organ harvesting in China,” Browde concluded. “We urge Congress to pass it without delay.”
To interview Levi Browde or to request a private briefing, email contact@faluninfo.net.
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