Rep: Charlie Gard granted permanent residence status

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) said on Wednesday the House passed an amendment granting permanent residence status to a critically ill British child, Charlie Gard, and his parents to seek medical treatment.

“We just passed amendment that grants permanent resident status to #CharlieGard and family so Charlie can get the medical treatment he needs,” Fortenberry tweeted.

We just passed amendment that grants permanent resident status to #CharlieGard and family so Charlie can get the medical treatment he needs.

— Jeff Fortenberry (@JeffFortenberry) July 18, 2017

Gard and his family have been at the center of an international debate over whether governments can make life-or-death decisions for individuals.

Gard, who is a British citizen, was born with a rare genetic condition known as encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MDDS), which makes him unable to breathe on his own, according to media reports.

{mosads}The baby’s parents wanted to bring him to an American hospital for experimental treatment; however, Great Ormond Street Hospital in London said the treatment would harm Gard because he had no chance of recovering.

The U.K. Supreme Court sided with the hospital, and the European Court of Human Rights refused to hear an appeal from Gard’s parents.

Reps. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) and Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) announced last week in a Fox News op-ed that they were proposing legislation to give Gard’s parents lawful and permanent residence in the U.S. in order to obtain medical treatment for their son.