WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted unanimously Friday to declassify U.S. intelligence information about the origins of COVID-19, a massive show of bipartisan support nearing the third anniversary. at the start of the deadly pandemic.
The 419-0 vote was the final approval of the bill, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
The debate was short and to the point: Americans have questions about how the deadly virus started and what can be done to prevent future outbreaks.
“The American public deserves answers to every aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, is the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
That includes, he said, “how this virus was created and, in particular, whether it was a natural occurrence or the result of a lab-related event.”
The declassification order focused on intelligence related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virologyciting “potential links” between research conducted there and the outbreak of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization has declared a pandemic. on March 11, 2020.
US intelligence agencies are divided over whether a lab leak or spillover from animals is the likely source of the deadly virus.
Experts say the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1 million Americansmay go unrecognized for years – if possible.
“Transparency is a cornerstone of our democracy,” said Rep. Jim Himes, of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, during the debate.
Led by Republicans, the focus on the origins of the virus comes as the House launches a select committee with a hearing earlier in the week examining theories of how the pandemic began.
It offers a rare moment of bipartisanship despite the often heated rhetoric about the origin of the coronavirus and questions about the response to the virus by US health officials, including former top health adviser Anthony Fauci..
The law from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has been approved by the Senate.
If signed into law, the measure would require within 90 days the declassification of “any and all information related to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the source of the Coronavirus Disease.”
That includes information about research and other lab activities and if any researchers are sick.
