Rep. James Comer and Sen. Roger Marshall are questioning what they say is dangerous research being conducted on emerging pathogens.
In a letter to U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power, the members of Congress are express concern over the cooperative agreement between USAID and Washington State University calling for the university to conduct dangerous research on emerging pathogens.
According to the agreement between USAID and WSU, American taxpayers will help fund dangerous viral research, the very type of research at the center of the COVID-19 origin investigation Because of biosafety concerns, it is vital that the taxpayer funds associated with this agreement are allocated to laboratories that are safe and secure.
On October 20, 2021, just two weeks after award, the National Institutes of Health admitted to the Committee that it funded dangerous gain- of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China.
This revelation came after repeated denials by NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci that the United States was funding gain of function research at the WIV. Considering the inability of NIH and NIAID to be transparent with the American people regarding dangerous research conducted on the taxpayer dime and the possibility of a laboratory leak or research accident leading to the COVID-19 pandemic, the terms of this agreement are concerning.
According to the agreement between USAID and WSU, American taxpayers will help fund dangerous viral research, the very type of research at the center of the COVID-19 origin investigation.
To better understand USAID and WSU's cooperative research agreement, we request a staff-level briefing focused on laboratory security and international partners as soon as possible but no later than November 29, 2021.
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Republicans sound alarm over dangerous pathogen research
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