U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) has released a video with Maggie, a 9-year-old patient with a rare disease, urging Senator Bernie Sanders to stop blocking the bipartisan Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act. The bill aims to improve outcomes for children with cancer by promoting research and ensuring access to treatments.
In December 2025, after Mullin requested unanimous consent from the Senate to pass the legislation, Sanders objected. The bill had previously passed the House of Representatives unanimously.
Senator Mullin praised Maggie’s advocacy efforts: “Maggie is a rockstar,” said Senator Mullin. “At just 9 years old, Maggie (and her parents) are visiting with Senators to get their support to help other kids with rare diseases. She’s doing great. There’s one big issue: before Christmas, Bernie Sanders blocked our bill, the Give Kids a Chance Act. If he won’t listen to me, I truly hope Bernie can take a lesson from Maggie and stop blocking our bipartisan bill to give kids fighting rare diseases more treatment options. This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Let’s pass this bill!”
During floor debate on December 17th, 2025, Mullin addressed Sanders’ objection:
“Why wouldn’t you want to allow kids, our kids, an opportunity to simply have the same opportunity as adults do with cancer?… It’s hard to explain why we wouldn’t want to do that, but yet, I understand that [the] senator from Vermont intends to object to the Senate doing this, and I think it’s wrong. I think it’s dead wrong to think that someone is willing to hold hostage a child who’s fighting for their life that simply wants to have an opportunity to try an experimental drug that may extend their life one week, one day, or may even cure it, and you’re willing to take that away from the family because you have other priorities, because you want to hold it hostage so you can try to do something with community health care centers. I support community health care centers. I want them. They’re important to rural Oklahoma, but there’s a time and place for everything. And to hold this bill hostage because of it is not right.
You’re stealing a family an opportunity to spend maybe an extra minute or an extra day or maybe a lifetime with a loved one. I don’t know how you argue against it. I don’t know how you can possibly stand up there with a straight face and say it’s just politics. This isn’t just politics we’re playing with people’s lives. So this is more than just politics but I will tell you that if this is objected to and we can’t find a path forward here today I can promise you I will not stop fighting…it won’t happen. We’re going rinse and repeat and continue go down this path until we give families with these rare diseases an opportunity live because that’s what this about.”
Mullin also compared Sanders’ actions at Christmas time:
“I’m talking about giving kids a chance…it has nothing do with politics…You know this time of year at Christmas we talk about Grinches all time right? They go in they steal kids’ gifts but at end show their hearts grow bigger they give gift back they allow kids be excited about Christmas morning.
What happened right here front us: The Grinch is stealing kids’ lives they’re stealing hope from families hopes from families might have opportunity just try—for political agenda And hope God every single family going through will hold Senator Vermont accountable state Vermont will hold him accountable too because he’s playing kids’ lives He’s literally killing kids front us because his political movement ridiculous It therefore object.”
The full text of the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act is available online.
