Support the Amerasian Uniting Families Act of 2017, H.R. 1520
Support the Amerasian Uniting Families Act of 2017, H.R. 1520
The Issue
The "Uniting Families Act of 2017" (H.R. 1520 in the 115th Congress) was a bill to create a special W-visa for adult children of U.S. service members who served abroad, allowing them to live in the U.S., but it did not pass; the same number (H.R. 1520) in the current 119th Congress is for a different bill, the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, which aims to stop disability-based discrimination in organ transplantation.
H.R. 1520 (Uniting Families Act of 2017)
Purpose: To provide a pathway for adult children (18+) of U.S. military members who served active duty abroad to get a special visa (W-visa) to join them in the U.S..
Key Provisions: Required DNA proof, a financial support agreement from the U.S. citizen parent, and limited the number of W-visas per year.
Status: Introduced in the 115th Congress (2017-2018) but did not become law.
H.R. 1520 (Current 119th Congress)
Full Title: Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act.
Purpose: To prohibit health entities from denying or restricting organ transplants or related services solely because of a person's disability.
Named For: Charlotte Woodward, who has Down syndrome and received a heart transplant.
Status: Passed the House, received in the Senate, and referred to the HELP Committee in 2025.
In summary: The "Uniting Families Act of 2017" (H.R. 1520) focused on immigration for children of service members, while the current H.R. 1520 is about preventing disability discrimination in organ transplants, and these are two different bills with the same number in different Congresses.
Additional information below:
https://time.com/6275367/philippines-amerasian-children-us-military-legacy/
34,662
The Issue
The "Uniting Families Act of 2017" (H.R. 1520 in the 115th Congress) was a bill to create a special W-visa for adult children of U.S. service members who served abroad, allowing them to live in the U.S., but it did not pass; the same number (H.R. 1520) in the current 119th Congress is for a different bill, the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, which aims to stop disability-based discrimination in organ transplantation.
H.R. 1520 (Uniting Families Act of 2017)
Purpose: To provide a pathway for adult children (18+) of U.S. military members who served active duty abroad to get a special visa (W-visa) to join them in the U.S..
Key Provisions: Required DNA proof, a financial support agreement from the U.S. citizen parent, and limited the number of W-visas per year.
Status: Introduced in the 115th Congress (2017-2018) but did not become law.
H.R. 1520 (Current 119th Congress)
Full Title: Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act.
Purpose: To prohibit health entities from denying or restricting organ transplants or related services solely because of a person's disability.
Named For: Charlotte Woodward, who has Down syndrome and received a heart transplant.
Status: Passed the House, received in the Senate, and referred to the HELP Committee in 2025.
In summary: The "Uniting Families Act of 2017" (H.R. 1520) focused on immigration for children of service members, while the current H.R. 1520 is about preventing disability discrimination in organ transplants, and these are two different bills with the same number in different Congresses.
Additional information below:
https://time.com/6275367/philippines-amerasian-children-us-military-legacy/
34,662
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Petition created on October 23, 2016