At Second Origins Hearing, Select Subcommittee Democrats Take Forward-Looking Approach to Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness

Washington, D.C. (April 18, 2023)—Today, Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D., Ranking Member of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, led Select Subcommittee Democrats in taking a forward-looking approach to strengthening our pandemic prevention and preparedness, getting to the bottom of the novel coronavirus's origins, and countering the Chinese Communist Party's threat to America's public health and national security.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how global health security, pandemic preparedness, and national security are linked. So, as we seek to better understand the virus's origins, we must take a scientific and evidence-based approach. As a physician and Ranking Member of this Select Subcommittee, I take this charge seriously: of putting people over politics to protect our public health," said Ranking Member Ruiz in his opening statement.

The hearing included testimony from intelligence expert Dr. Mark Lowenthal. Dr. Lowenthal previously served as Assistant Director for Analysis and Production at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Vice Chairman for Evaluation on the National Intelligence Council, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Research at the Department of State.

Select Subcommittee Democrats pushed back on Republicans' reckless politicization of intelligence, which undermines efforts to better understand the novel coronavirus's origins, and demonstrated how President Trump's mishandling of foreign policy has emboldened the Chinese Communist Party—including its obstruction of efforts to understand the novel coronavirus's origins and prevent future pandemics.

• Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. brought attention to the how the Chinese Communist Party's spread of misinformation about the pandemic and its origins has hindered our understanding of the pandemic, and echoed Dr Lowenthal's assertion in his testimony that, "in absence of greater cooperation and transparency from China, which seems highly unlikely, we may never resolve this issue with certainty."
• Congressman Jared Moskowitz called into question President Trump's early praise of President Xi Jinping despite the CCP's obstruction in the earliest days of the pandemic: "I think the American people have the right to know why so much misinformation was spread about COVID-19 in this country by President Trump. Yes, we need to investigate the origins of COVID. We need to know what we knew when, and we need to share that with the American people. And we need to know why President Trump—who was in charge when COVID happened and got out of control—didn't tell the American people the truth."

• Congresswoman Jill Tokuda showed how President Trump deflected blame for his own failed pandemic response onto Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, politicizing intelligence gathering and recklessly villainizing AAPI people for his political gain: "Within a matter of days of Trump using the phrase ‘Chinese Virus' on Twitter, anti-Asian rhetoric on the platform grew exponentially, according to a study conducted by the University of California San Francisco. And in the summer of 2020, President Trump began referring to COVID-19 as ‘Kung Flu' at campaign rallies across the country—ratcheting up vitriol among his right-wing base. This hateful rhetoric online has had deadly consequences."

• Congresswoman Debbie Dingell highlighted how Republican's politicization is affecting the capacity of our nation to prevent and prepare for future pandemics: "Unfortunately, discussions, debates, and investigations in this country have become highly politicized in every arena. What worries me the most is what is happening in the scientific community, where the exchange of ideas, research, and shared data has found clues, discovered cures, and reached consensus. And this arena is becoming so highly politicized between virologist, researchers, public health officials, national security experts, and the politicians."

Select Subcommittee Democrats highlighted the decisive action taken under President Biden's leadership to counter the Chinese Communist Party, determine the novel coronavirus's origins, and prevent future pandemics.

• Ahead of the hearing, Ranking Member Raul Ruiz, M.D. released a factsheet detailing Select Subcommittee Republicans' refusal to protect America's health by voting against lifesaving pandemic preparedness reforms secured by House Democrats in last year's appropriations package. Ranking Member Ruiz drew attention to these commonsense reforms in the hearing: "Last Congress, Democrats included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 significant reforms to address pandemic preparedness. I find it interesting that despite how much my colleagues on the other side of the dais have focused their efforts to favor their lab leak narrative, they voted against these reforms that help prevent lab leaks in the future."

• Congressman Kweisi Mfume demonstrated Congressional Democrats and President Biden's work to counter the CCP and advance America's economic, public health, and geopolitical interests: "If we as a Congress, as leaders of this nation, fail to meet the moment, I fear that we undermine for some time to come our ability to respond to the next public health crisis and protect American interests at home and abroad. We have a long road ahead of us. However, in the last two years Congressional Democrats, as the majority party during that time, working with President Biden did lay the groundwork to make sure that we take the decisive action necessary to safeguard and to advance our health, our geopolitical, and our economic interests."

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