Charlie Gard given permanent resident status by US congress Charlie Gard has been given legal and permanent residence status in the United States by congress in order to allow […]

Charlie Gard has been given legal and permanent residence status in the United States by congress in order to allow him to fly to America for treatment.

US lawmakers, who made the announcement on social media, are determined to keep up the pressure on doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) in the on-going legal battle over the terminally-ill baby’s medical care.

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

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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

However, as Charlie is the subject of a High Court order it makes no difference what passport he held, according to legal sources. Last Friday, in the latest hearing over the 11-month-old’s future, Mr Justice Francis made it clear it would be illegal for Charlie to travel to the US without his permission.

The parents’ barrister, Grant Armstrong, said Connie Yates and Chris Gard believed that legally it was up to the hospital to change its mind and allow Charlie to be transferred. But the judge said the effect of the various rulings meant the court’s permission was required.

He said: “It would be entirely wrong for him to be transferred without my being involved.”

He added that if the hospital did change its mind to allow the baby to go, he would be “bound to agree”.

https://twitter.com/RepKevinYoder/status/887404289769058304

Gosh has maintained throughout the four-month legal battle that Charlie has suffered irreversible brain damage as a result of his rare genetic condition – and that he cannot be cured. They say it is “cruel” to let him live any longer. His parents, from Bedfont, west London, argue that he deserves to receive experimental treatment in the US.

Michio Hirano, the New York-based specialist from Columbia University who has offered to treat Charlie, spent two days in London this week examining Charlie and discussing his case with doctors at Gosh, but has failed to win them round to his way of thinking. Dr Hirano flew back to New York last night.

“Our gorgeous baby boy is still stable. We are at his bedside and feel satisfied he is not suffering or in any pain. As Charlie’s loving parents, we are doing the right thing for our son in exploring all treatment options.” Connie Yates

Charlie’s parents said they were “so grateful to Dr Hirano and the other clinicians for coming to see Charlie”.

Charlie’s medical team maintain that the Charlie is blind, deaf and shows no sign of awareness. His parents gave the Daily Mail a photograph in response to those claims, showing Charlie with his eyes open.

Ms Yates and Mr Gard said the image, taken last Friday, is proof that Gosh is wrong to write off their son. Following two days of meetings this week, specialists at the world famous London children’s hospital are understood to remain convinced that Charlie should be allowed to die.

In his original High Court ruling of 11 April, Mr Justice Francis concluded that Charlie should be allowed to “die with dignity”. His parents have failed to have the judgment overturned at the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights.

The latest hearing follows the 11th-hour intervention by Dr Hirano and researchers in Italy and Spain who believe there is a 10 per cent chance Charlie will have improved muscle strength following experimental nucleoside therapy. They argue that will give a definite answer whether Charlie’s brain damage is irreversible or not.

The therapy has never been tested on any human or animal.

More tests

Last night Ms Yates revealed Charlie was set to undergo more tests. They could decide if he is fit to undergo experimental treatment on his brain condition.

She said: “Our gorgeous baby boy is still stable. We are at his bedside and feel satisfied he is not suffering or in any pain. As Charlie’s loving parents, we are doing the right thing for our son in exploring all treatment options.”

Charlie had two brain scans on Sunday, his first since April. He had an MRI scan and an electroencephalogram (EEG) to monitor brain activity for more than 30 minutes.

Neither the results, nor Dr Hirano’s view of them, have been made public, but were central to yesterday’s meeting of experts at Gosh, according to the Mail.

A Gosh spokesman said its position had not changed since last week, when it said Charlie had “no quality of life and no real prospect of any quality of life”.

Mr Justice Francis is due to read a transcript of the meeting at Gosh before the next hearing, likely to be this Friday. He will give his verdict next Monday or Tuesday.