Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ranking Member of the House global health subcommittee, today issued the following statement on the apparent withdrawal of the Biden Administration’s troubling amendments empowering the World Health Organization (WHO). Last week, Smith slammed the Biden Administration for its plans to surrender U.S. sovereignty to the WHO days before the body began its 75^th World Health Assembly.

       “After raising the alarm last week on the Biden Administration’s absurd proposal to surrender U.S. sovereignty to the corrupt WHO, it is reassuring to see public outcry by a number of countries—in particular Brazil, but also African nations and civil society as well as Malaysia—and the subsequent withdrawal of the Biden Amendments to the International Health Regulations. 

       While this is welcome news, we must continue to be vigilant against any temporary, strategic retreat to ensure that the Biden Administration does not try to quietly reintroduce its egregious amendments in the dead of night—especially in light of its initial submission on January 18, 2022 without any public notice whatsoever.

       It is simply unconscionable that the Biden Administration would attempt to cede our sovereignty to the WHO and its Chinese-backed Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus—all without demanding accountability and fundamental reform.

       Instead of empowering UN bureaucrats beholden to a foreign power, the Biden Administration should be pushing for Tedros’ ouster and top-to-bottom reform at the WHO, as I have repeatedly and consistently argued.

       Congress should immediately advance my legislation to allow Americans the right to sue Communist China for providing false information to the WHO. This is the type of accountability that the Biden Administration should be demanding.”

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