The Senate on Friday passed a bipartisan resolution calling on the World Health Organization (WHO) to act with “extreme urgency” to investigate the origins of the CCP virus, demanding full and transparent access to records in China, which senators accused of stonewalling and a “cover-up.”
The resolution, introduced by Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), calls for an immediate, comprehensive, and transparent investigation that would be mandated by the World Health Assembly, the governing body of the WHO, with access to all relevant records, samples, and personnel in China.
The probe “must fully explore all possible sources of the COVID-19 pandemic, including exclusively ‘natural’ zoonosis in the wild, human contamination in an animal farm, and a research-related accident,” the resolution states (pdf).
It also demands the United States and its global allies and partners get involved in the probe “if China continues on its path of cover-up and obfuscation,” a joint statement from the two senators reads.
“It’s outrageous that a comprehensive investigation on the origins of COVID-19 has still not been carried out,” Marshall said in a statement, which comes as the World Health Assembly convenes virtually for a series of meetings between May 24 and June 1.
“We must get a full investigation into the outbreak,” Marshall said, adding, “if China continues on its path of cover-up, we must begin planning a full investigation, including with partners around the world.”
“The Chinese must show us the data and be transparent with the world—and if they don’t, we will fight to get to the bottom of this outbreak,” Marshall added.
Gillibrand doubled down on insisting that Beijing’s “obstruction is completely unacceptable.”
“Our resolution makes clear that the U.S. believes that the previous WHO investigation was flawed, that there must be accountability, and all potential origins of this virus, including a lab leak, must be investigated fully,” Gillibrand added.
BY TOM OZIMEK
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