Today, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) introduced the FAUCI Act in the House of Representatives. Earlier this month, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced this bill in the Senate. The legislation aims to ban U.S. funding for gain-of-function research in China, produce a full accounting of U.S. tax dollars spent, and restrict government officials who intentionally mislead Congress.
“The world is still feeling the devastating human and economic impacts from COVID-19,” said Rep. Stewart. “The American people deserve accountability and transparency. First, we need to ban U.S. taxpayer dollars from funding dangerous research in the labs of our greatest foreign adversary. This is an inexcusable mistake that demands immediate correcting. Second, we need to know exactly how and where American taxpayer dollars were spent. And finally, to ensure we get those answers, we need to establish consequences for anyone who intentionally misleads our investigations. These efforts aren’t about assigning blame – it’s about preventing another catastrophe and demanding justice on behalf of the American people.”
“While American tax dollars were being funneled into Communist China to support dangerous experiments on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Lab, the head of the division funding those activities, Dr. Fauci, failed to tell the truth to Congress and to the American People about how our money was being spent,” said Senator Joni Ernst. “Enough is enough—we need a full accounting of how and where our tax dollars are going. I’m pleased Congressman Chris Stewart is introducing a companion bill to my FAUCI Act in the House, to put an end to U.S. funding of gain-of-function research in Communist China, go after government officials who intentionally mislead Congress, and bring about badly needed transparency and accountability.”
The FAUCI Act – or the Fairness and Accountability in Underwriting Chinese Institutions Act – which, in addition to banning U.S. funding for gain-of-function research in China, ensures that any National Institutes of Health employee, official, or grantee that intentionally misleads Congress, or the Inspector General, will be ineligible for current or future federal grants and employment. This bill also calls for a full accounting of U.S. involvement in gain-of-function research, particularly in China.
For more than a year, both Rep. Stewart and Sen. Ernst have pushed to get answers from the NIH about U.S. funding for dangerous experiments in China. The FAUCI Act is each of their most recent effort to hold China accountable, demand transparency, and ensure justice.
