Bernie Sanders Blocks Pediatric Cancer Bill, Faces Backlash
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has drawn significant criticism for blocking the fast-tracking of a bill designed to help pediatric cancer patients. On Wednesday, Sanders cast the sole vote against passing the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act through an expedited process in the Senate. His opposition means the bipartisan cancer package will face a longer procedural path and won’t clear the Senate before Christmas, despite having already unanimously passed in the House of Representatives.
The bill, named after 16-year-old Mikaela Naylon from Colorado who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2020 and passed away on October 29, aims to ensure children with cancer can access essential treatments and participate in clinical trials. It also extends the Pediatric Priority Review Voucher Program to incentivize pharmaceutical companies to develop more therapies specifically for pediatric conditions. Before her death, Mikaela was among many young cancer patients who advocated for the bill’s passage, even donating her body to science in hopes of contributing to finding a cure for future patients.
Sanders defended his position during a Senate floor speech, stating, “We must do everything we can to find new cures and treatments for pediatric cancer, and I strongly support that effort, period.” However, he explained his opposition stemmed from wanting the $1.2 billion bill to include additional funding for other healthcare initiatives, particularly community health centers. The progressive senator attempted to attach an amendment to revive proposals for these other initiatives, but this effort was rejected by his colleagues. Sanders appeared to be seeking leverage by holding up the cancer bill to gain support for his broader healthcare priorities.
The senator’s decision to block the unanimous consent needed for expedited passage sparked immediate and harsh reactions from across the political spectrum. White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair criticized Sanders on social media, writing, “Bernie Sanders killed a bill to help pediatric cancer patients. Why? For ‘leverage.’ He should be ashamed of himself.” Similarly, Vice President JD Vance called the move “really disgraceful,” while Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) stated, “Bernie Sanders single-handedly killed our bill to help pediatric cancer patients. We won’t let him forget it.”
Sanders’ approach highlights a tension often present in legislative strategy – whether to accept incremental progress on urgent issues or hold out for more comprehensive reform. As a longtime advocate for universal healthcare, Sanders has consistently pushed for broader systemic changes rather than piecemeal solutions. However, in this case, his tactical decision may have delayed help for children battling cancer, a particularly vulnerable population whose treatments often depend on specialized research and clinical trials that this bill aims to support.
The incident underscores the complex nature of congressional procedural maneuvers and how a single senator can significantly impact the legislative process. While unanimous consent procedures exist to expedite non-controversial legislation, they also grant individual lawmakers substantial power to influence or delay bills. The Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act will now need to go through the standard, more time-consuming legislative process, potentially delaying assistance to pediatric cancer patients while lawmakers negotiate the path forward. This situation demonstrates how political strategies and policy priorities can sometimes conflict with immediate humanitarian concerns, creating difficult choices for lawmakers and real consequences for the Americans waiting for legislative action.
