On Thursday, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) introduced legislation to prevent the World Health Organization (WHO) from repeating its egregious pandemic failures. This bill would prohibit the WHO from using American taxpayer dollars on partisan international pandemic treaties without approval by the United States Senate.
The Defending American Sovereignty in Global Pandemics Act would stop the United States from entering any international agreement, convention, or instrument under the WHO related to pandemic prevention or response without ratification by the Senate. Additionally, the WHO would be prohibited from spending U.S. funds on such agreements until it is ratified by the Senate.
“The World Health Organization’s (WHO) mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic was inexcusable,” said Barrasso. “Their blatant partisanship and incompetence inflicted lasting harm on our country’s health and economy. We cannot grant the WHO the authority to spend Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars on another failed pandemic response.”
Co-sponsors of this legislation include U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).
