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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, today shared House Republicans’ plan to hold China accountable for lack of transparency with COVID-19 and provide justice and transparency for the American people on COVID-19. Guthrie focused on ensuring U.S. taxpayer dollars are not going towards gain of function research with China or people associated with the Chinese Communist Party as well as funding research for irresponsible foreign governments.

Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23), Republican Whip Steve Scalise (LA-01), Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Republican Leader of House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul (TX-10), House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (KY-01), and Congressman Dan Crenshaw (TX-02) participated in the press conference.

Click HERE to download the photo of Rep. Guthrie at the press conference

Click HERE to watch the press conference

Below are highlights from the press conference:

Guthrie on getting to the bottom of COVID-19’s origins

Since March I have been conducting a review of the origins of the COVID-19 virus.

Guthrie on what we know about Wuhan lab and gain of function research

We know that the Wuhan lab was doing gain of function research. We know that taxpayer dollars were given to the Wuhan lab. We know gain of function research is risky, and it even has restrictions here in the United States. We need to have the investigations that my colleagues have talked about.

Guthrie on what we need to know

We need to know - did COVID-19 originate in the Wuhan lab as evidence seems to be pointing towards. We also need to work together because we need to know did U.S. taxpayer dollars directly or indirectly fund gain of function research of the dollars that went to Wuhan. We also need to know the scope of all NIH grants and taxpayer dollars for research that is sent to China or other governments that do not have our best interest at heart.

Guthrie lays out what the U.S. needs to do moving forward

Moving forward, we need to ensure U.S. grants are not going to gain of function research or any other risky research to China or people associated with the Communist Party. We need to ensure U.S. grants are not going to irresponsible foreign governments like China or Russia or some of the others mentioned. We also need moving forward, need to work together. I call on my Democrat colleagues to [come] together to do an investigation because people deserve the transparency and they deserve answers.

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