WASHINGTON, D.C.– Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, reintroduced the COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023, which would require the Biden administration to declassify intelligence related to any potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and the origins of the Covid pandemic.
The Department of Energy recently concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic most likely arose from a lab leak, according to a classified intelligence report provided to the White House and certain members of Congress.
“It’s been three years since COVID-19 upended our lives and we’re still asking basic questions about the origins of this virus. That’s unacceptable. The question of how this pandemic began is the most important question in the world, and we should not continue to waste precious time waiting for the Chinese Communist Party to suddenly cooperate with U.S. officials and open up access to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. It’s time for Congress to act and force the administration to declassify the relevant intelligence surrounding the pandemic,” said Rep. Gallagher.
The bill was co-sponsored by: Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Chris Stewart (R-UT), John Rutherford (R-FL), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Mark Green (R-TN), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), August Pfluger (R-TX), and Daniel Webster (R-FL).
The Senate companion to this bill, which was introduced earlier this week by Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Mike Braun (R-IN), passed the Senate unanimously Wednesday night.
Click HERE for bill text.
