Sanders blocks fast-track of pediatric cancer bill, prompting backlash

Sen. Bernie Sanders blocked the Senate from fast-tracking the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act on Wednesday by voting against a unanimous-consent request to bypass normal procedure. The bipartisan measure, which had already cleared the House, would expand access to key cancer treatments for children, extend incentives to spur pediatric drug development, and provide funding for related health initiatives. The bill, a $1.2 billion package, would help pediatric patients obtain comprehensive therapies and participate in clinical trials, and it would extend the Pediatric Priority Review Voucher Program to encourage the creation of more pediatric medicines. Sanders indicated he would seek accompanying riders—such as funding for community health centers—before allowing the bill to move forward, and his vote ensures the chamber will confront the more deliberate, committee-driven path when lawmakers reconvene in the new year.

Sanders argued that the measure should include the riders for other initiatives and offered an amendment to revive those proposals. That amendment was rejected, according to reports, and GOP leaders pressed forward with the procedural move. The senator’s stance appears to reflect a strategy of using the package as leverage for broader priorities, a position that drew sharp criticism from Republicans and pediatric-cancer advocates alike.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair condemned the vote, telling reporters on X that Sanders had effectively blocked a measure with broad support and calling the decision disgraceful. “Bernie Sanders killed a bill to help pediatric cancer patients. Why? For leverage,” Blair wrote, adding that Democrats should be held to account for delaying a package dear to patients and families. The criticism was echoed by several Republican senators, including Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, who said Sanders had “single-handedly killed our bill to help pediatric cancer patients” and warned that lawmakers would not forget the stunt.

Supporters of the act stressed that Mikaela Naylon would reform how children with cancer access therapies and participate in clinical trials, and would extend the Pediatric Priority Review Voucher Program to spur more pediatric-drug development. The House had approved the measure unanimously earlier this month, clearing the way for a potential quick path to the president’s desk if the Senate moved swiftly. The standoff now pushes the bill into the regular order, likely delaying passage until lawmakers return in the new year.

Lawmakers will have to navigate the Senate’s normal process, including committee consideration and potential floor amendments, before the bill can reach President Trump’s desk. Sanders has signaled he hopes to revisit the issue when the Senate reconvenes, leaving pediatric-cancer advocates hopeful that a consensus could still emerge in the new year.