Republicans are calling on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to apply reforms to the pandemic response legislation in order to protect the American people from future government overreach.
Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy lead the lawmakers in sending a letter to McCarthy on Wednesday demanding substantive changes to the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA)—changes they insisted are necessary for the legislation to even be considered on the House floor.
These reforms include requiring the Senate to confirm the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, the assertion of American sovereignty over the World Health Organization, the return of PAHPA-related funds to pre-pandemic levels, and more.
“The federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally failed the American people,” the lawmakers write in the letter, first obtained by the Washington Examiner. “Acknowledgment of this reality should form the foundation for any reauthorization of the agencies and programs even tangentially responsible for coordinating the failed response.”
“Failure to include these reforms risks not just the reauthorization of PAHPA altogether, but the support of our constituents who demand accountability,” the Republicans add. “We encourage House Republicans to come together to make further reforms to advance only a legislative package that protects the rights of all Americans, strengthens congressional oversight of the public health system, and ensures accountability for the failed COVID-19 response.”
Lawmakers established the PAHPA in 2006 to “to improve the Nation’s public health and medical preparedness and response capabilities for emergencies, whether deliberate, accidental, or natural.” Congress reauthorized it in 2013 and in 2019.
The legislation is set to expire on Sept. 30, amid increasing scrutiny from Americans about the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. GOP leaders will need the support of the House Freedom Caucus in order to pass the bill.
McCarthy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Signal for this story.
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