Sen. Marco Rubio introduced a bill Tuesday to sanction Beijing if Chinese officials do not permit a forensic investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Florida senator, alongside several of his Republican colleagues, introduced the Coronavirus Origin Validation, Investigation, and Determination (COVID) Act of 2022, which would authorize sanctions if Chinese officials block a “comprehensive international investigation into the origins of COVID-19 at laboratories in Wuhan that engaged in risky research involving bat coronaviruses,” according to a press release.
In addition to sanctions against the leadership of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and its affiliates, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology, it would suspend federal funding for any research studies involving the CAS.
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China has routinely stonewalled international investigators seeking to understand the origins of a virus responsible for an estimated 5.5 million deaths worldwide since China first reported cases to the World Health Organization in December 2019, including more than 800,000 people in the United States.
In November, China dismissed as unscientific a declassified U.S. intelligence report saying it was within the realm of possibility that the COVID-19 pandemic originated in a laboratory.
In an op-ed published by the Washington Examiner, Rubio wrote the bill is “good governance and commonsense” and would put necessary pressure on the Chinese Communist Party to be more transparent with the international community.
In a statement, Rubio argued that since the beginning of the pandemic, “the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has stonewalled all efforts to uncover the true origins of COVID-19.”
“We know the virus originated in China, however, the CCP’s attempts to obfuscate the truth has led to countless deaths and needless suffering worldwide,” he said. “It is clear that Beijing will only respond to concerted pressure from the United States and the international community. My bill will force the CCP to the table.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley, one of the senators who joined Rubio in introducing the bill, said in a statement, “COVID-19 has taken the lives of over 800,000 people in the United States so far. Families who’ve lost loved ones to this devastating virus deserve answers — especially if the Chinese Communist Party is responsible for either unleashing this virus or covering it up.”
“Our bill requires an investigation into COVID-19’s origins and holds China accountable by sanctioning those who’ve stonewalled independent investigations,” the Iowa Republican said. “We ought to make sure there are harsh consequences for any individual or organization that played a part in starting or perpetuating this pandemic.”
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It was not clear Tuesday if Senate leadership would consider the bill.
