Democrats blast Republicans for 'fueling a political agenda' with Covid report and push back on lab leak claim

Source: The Independent

Tuesday 03 December 2024 19:53 GMT


Despite being on a bipartisan House subcommittee, Democrats and Republicans tasked with evaluating the government’s response and handling of the Covid-19 pandemic released dueling reports on their two-year investigation.

In a 60-page report released on Tuesday, Democrats on the Republican-led House Select Subcommittee on the Coroanvius (sic) Pandemic chastised their GOP colleagues for concluding that the virus “likely” originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, baselessly accusing Dr. Anthony Fauci of trying to cover up the virus’ origins, and downplaying the efficiency of masks. Republicans released those conclusions and many others in a 520-page report on Monday.

Dr. Fauci testified to the House subcommittee – which became contentious at times. But Democrats accused the Republicans of abandoning their shared goal to “prevent and prepare for future pandemics” in order to advance “a political agenda.” “Select Subcommittee Republicans spent the 118th Congress advancing a political agenda that has contributed little to the essential work of getting ahead of future public health crises and saving future lives,” Democrats wrote in their report.

The subcommittee was initially created under the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability in April 2020 to evaluate the government’s response to the pandemic and provide guidance to prepare for future pandemics. However, once Republicans took control of the House in 2023 they re-directed the subcommittee to investigate the origins of Covid-19, government spending, and mask and vaccine mandates.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/house-democrats-republicans-covid-report-b2658172.html