“Since day one, the Chinese government has been anything but transparent and credible as we pushed for answers on the origins of this virus. That must change.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) in introducing the Coronavirus Origin Validation, Investigation, and Determination (COVID) Act of 2022 to press for a credible and comprehensive international investigation into the origins of COVID-19 at laboratories in Wuhan that engaged in risky research involving bat coronaviruses. If passed, the COVID Act of 2022 would authorize sanctions if the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) fails to allow such an investigation within 90 days of the bill’s enactment.
“Since day one, the Chinese government has been anything but transparent and credible as we pushed for answers on the origins of this virus. That must change,” said Senator Tuberville. “This legislation will hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for the American lives taken by COVID and make it clear that actions will be met with consequences.”
The COVID Act would sanction the leadership of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and its affiliated institutes and laboratories, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The bill would also suspend federal research funding across all academic fields for studies that involve the CAS, and impose a prohibition on gain-of-function virus research cooperation between any individual or institution based in the United States that receives federal funding and any People’s Republic of China-based individual or institution.
Other bill sponsors include Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Rick Scott (R-FL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), James Lankford (R-OK), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mike Braun (R-IN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and John Kennedy (R-LA).
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.
