Senator Rand Paul Launches Investigation Into COVID Origins

You know, for ages, Congress has been avoiding the question of where this whole COVID-19 began.

But finally, two senators, Rand Paul and Gary Peters have joined forces to get to the bottom of this.

They’re launching the first-ever governmentwide look into the virus’s origins.

After 3 years, it looks like Paul’s persistence has paid off.

It’s refreshing to see someone in the government actually working for the people.

I’m launching a bipartisan investigation to examine the origins of COVID and gain-of-function research. This 1st ever government-wide probe of risky life sciences research will identify oversight gaps with the goal of preventing future pandemics. https://t.co/GwHPUaW0WX

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 23, 2024

Washington Examiner reports:

For far too long, members of Congress have been hesitant to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, two senators in a bipartisan effort have decided enough is enough. Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Gary Peters (D-MI) announced they would launch the first governmentwide inquiry into the virus’s origins. It’s a cause that Paul has diligently pursued for the last three years and now his persistence has paid off.

It is well past time for the Senate to conduct a bipartisan inquiry into the origins of COVID-19, and, as part of this investigation, we finally will be holding Committee hearings to do just that,” Paul said in a press release. “In order to prevent a more catastrophic pandemic from occurring, we must understand the nature of US-funded biotechnology and hold accountable those who engage in risky gain-of-function research. This investigation is groundbreaking, marking the first government-wide examination of taxpayer-funded, high-risk life science research.”

Peters was equally enthusiastic and determined to find the virus’s origins. He saw this as a step in mitigating the risks of future pandemics and health security vulnerabilities.

“Biotechnologies, such as CRISPR, are rapidly advancing, and our understanding of biological risks and threats is constantly evolving,” Peters said. “While many of these advancements have the potential to greatly benefit Americans, we must also ensure we are addressing and minimizing the serious risks they can also pose to our health and national security. This bipartisan oversight effort will allow us to take a comprehensive look at whether the federal government is taking the necessary steps to keep Americans safe from current and future biological threats.”

Rand Paul is not accepting “No”.

He’s pushing forward and speaking up!

Even shows the stack of infomation he requested but the pages are all redacted.

WATCH: Rand Paul Decries HHS Efforts To Obscure His Document Requests On Origin Of COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/y23LNhwIGX

— 1776 (@TheWakeninq) March 20, 2024

Politico adds:

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who sparred with top public health officials in heated hearings about Covid-19 and the government’s response to the pandemic, has found a Democrat to join him in investigating the virus’ origins.

And it’s not just any Democrat. It’s Gary Peters (D-Mich.), chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on which Paul is the ranking Republican.

The duo announced yesterday they are investigating where Covid came from, the high-risk research that Paul believes caused the pandemic, as well as broader “national security threats posed by high-risk biological research and technology.”

Why it matters: Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are concerned about risky research.

President Joe Biden, in his October executive order on artificial intelligence, tasked government agencies with laying the groundwork for new rules and requirements for how AI will be used in synthetic biology, the creation or modification of organisms.

The collaboration between Paul and Peters also means more scrutiny for government scientists. Earlier this month, the Homeland Security panel unanimously approved Paul’s bill to require government scientists to disclose royalties they receive from companies and make public the financial disclosure forms filed by members of federal scientific advisory committees.

Paul has butted heads with officials at the National Institutes of Health, the world’s biggest funder of biomedical research — particularly Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — over how the agency handled the pandemic and its research on Covid’s origins.

What’s next? Peters and Paul said they plan to:

— Hold hearings on high-risk life science research, biodefense, synthetic biology, biosafety and biosecurity lapses, early warnings for emerging disease outbreaks and the origins of Covid-19

— Assess and measure risk from deliberate, accidental and natural biological incidents

— Increase transparency and strengthen oversight of taxpayer-funded life science research