FRED LUCAS
Congressional Republicans are calling on President Joe Biden to abandon plans for a pandemic treaty that would strengthen the World Health Organization, citing that global body's numerous failures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., backed by about half of all Senate Republicans, signed a letter to Biden urging him to withdraw from two agreements with the World Health Organization that would boost its authority to declare public health emergencies and give it new powers over the U.S. and 193 other member states during such emergencies.
The letter to the president from Senate Republicans also asks that he submit any such pandemic agreement with WHO--criticized for going easy on China during COVID-19--to the Senate for ratification.
"China has far too much control over the WHO. We certainly don't want the WHO to control our individual health decisions," Johnson said at a press conference Thursday outside the Capitol, flanked by several House Republicans and other conservative leaders.
"I have a bill that would deem any agreement between the Biden administration and the WHO a treaty to come before the Senate for debate and ratification. That is absolutely crucial," Johnson said.
The Biden administration looks to commit the United States to the new global pandemic preparedness agreement, as well as to revised rules within the International Health Regulations adopted in 2005.
The existing rules allow the World Health Organization, with the consent of member nations, to declare a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern." The amendment will allow WHO to do so over the objection of member nations.
Even if the Biden administration tries to commit the United States to the agreement May 27 at the World Health Assembly--absent Senate ratification--at a minimum Congress can ensure that it doesn't go unnoticed, said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.
"We are going to expose it. They needed four months to get the amendments out there that are going to be considered on May 27," Norman told The Daily Signal as speakers took questions. "That's unacceptable. I've seen too many documents at the last minute. This is too important to let this go by."
Norman added that he is calling on Biden to be transparent with Americans about the pandemic agreements.
"What I will ask him to do, and it will fall on deaf ears, is to show the American people exactly what you are submitting America to," Norman said. "Show us the fine print. Ladies and gentlemen, the devil is in the details of almost everything that my colleagues and I have to deal with. So exposure is what we can do right now, and he can lead the way as the leader of the free world. Do I think he will do it? No."
Earlier this month, the White House released a Global Health Security Strategy that says in part:
The United States is supporting efforts to strengthen global policies and legal preparedness, including negotiating a pandemic agreement and targeted amendments to the IHR [International Health Regulations], as these two instruments have the potential to provide the international community with the opportunity to establish a shared path forward for preventing, preparing for, and responding to international health emergencies.
The change could provide unilateral authority to WHO's Tedros to declare a public health crisis in the United States or other countries, without consultation.
1 comment:
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