China and the World Health Organization

Floor Speech

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I am deeply concerned about reports that China began hoarding medical supplies in early January while working to prevent the World Health Organization from sounding the alarm about the virus pandemic.

By analyzing international trade data, the Department of Homeland Security assessed that the Chinese Government intentionally concealed the severity of COVID-19 from the world in early January in order to stockpile medical supplies. Furthermore, the Chinese Communist Party Government tried to hide its actions by denying there were any export restrictions. They even tried to obscure and delay its trade data so it wouldn't get caught.

These acts are outrageous.

Even worse, the CIA and foreign intelligence agencies have found evidence that China threatened the World Health Organization to stop cooperating on efforts to combat COVID-19 if the organization declared a global health emergency early on. So it was declared, and, hence, there was valuable time lost in fighting the virus.

This is simply unacceptable behavior. The Chinese Communist Party ought to be held accountable for the countless lives that have been lost around the globe due to its nontransparent, aggressive, inhumane behavior.

The World Health Organization is composed of many honorable and dedicated medical professionals who believe in the WHO's mission. If any of them were privy to what was going on by the Chinese Communist Party, he ought to step forward and shine light on any misdeeds by the organization's leadership.

Whistleblowers are necessary to prevent corruption within any institution, which is why I have a longstanding reputation of protecting whistleblowers. The world deserves to know what the World Health Organization's leaders knew and when they knew it. The evidence is quickly becoming crystal clear--that China is responsible for tremendous suffering worldwide through its lies and active coverup. Telling the truth about the Chinese Communist Party does not, as some have suggested, have any bearing on how we analyze our domestic response.

We should learn from democratic countries that have been successful in containing outbreaks, like Taiwan and South Korea. However, in going forward, everyone around the world should have his eyes open about the true nature of the Chinese regime.

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