Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday (Feb. 17) that the United States will provide more than $200 million in funding to the World health Organization (WHO) by the end of the month. The Republican senator responded by saying that WHO helps Chinese Communist disinformation and should not be supported with U.S. taxpayer money.
Speaking at the U.N. Security Council meeting, Blinken said, “Today, I am pleased to confirm that by the end of this month, the United States intends to pay more than $200 million in assessed and current obligations to the WHO.”
The secretary of state made the remarks while attending an online meeting of the Security Council on the global response to the outbreak.
“This is a critical step in meeting our financial obligations as a member of WHO, and it reflects our renewed commitment to ensuring that WHO receives the support it needs to lead the global response to this pandemic, even as we embark on the work of reforming WHO in the future.” Blinken said.
Last year, the Trump administration cut off financial aid to WHO last April and initiated the U.S. withdrawal process from WHO in July after WHO helped the Chinese Communist Party narrative by concealing the virus pandemic outbreak. After his inauguration, Biden announced that the U.S. was rejoining the WHO in an attempt to regain contact with it again.
The U.S. donates about a quarter of the total annual cost of all 194 WHO member states.
Republicans call for withholding WHO financial aid until it is reformed
Democrats support the Biden Administration‘s call for WHO reform, but Republicans are calling for funding to be withheld from WHO until it takes steps toward reform.
Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott (R) then tweeted, “American taxpayers have no responsibility to support WHO (@WHO), which (WHO) spreads communist China’s COVID-19 propaganda. That’s why we must pass my WHO Accountability Act. Before we spend another dime, WHO needs new leadership, recognition of Taiwan and (WHO) serious reform.”
Scott, along with Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (D), introduced the WHO Accountability Act on Feb. 9 to hold the World Health Organization and its leader, Ted Tamsay, accountable for helping the Chinese Communist Party cover up information about the threat of the coronavirus (CCP virus).
Time and time again, the WHO has put promoting the interests of the Chinese Communist Party ahead of building world health,” Hawley said that day. Dr. Tandusse and other WHO leaders must be held accountable for this dereliction of duty, and the WHO must be overhauled before it can once again benefit from U.S. tax dollars.”
Blinken Reiterates: “Independent” Investigation of COVID-19 Origins
In his remarks Wednesday, Blinken reiterated the Biden administration’s call for an “independent” investigation into the origins of COVID-19.
“We know that the COVID-19 outbreak is likely to (continue) for years to come. The ongoing expert investigation into the urgency of this pandemic and the report to be issued must be independent, based on science and facts, and free from interference,” he said. He said.
“To better understand this pandemic and prepare for the next one, all countries must provide all data from the early stages of any outbreak. Maintaining transparency and sharing information channels among international experts must be hallmarks of our common approach to a truly global challenge.” Blinken said.
On Saturday, the Biden administration expressed “deep concern” about the WHO’s report on the origin of the virus in Wuhan.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement, “This report must be independent, and the experts’ findings must be free from interference or change by the Chinese (Communist) government. To better understand this outbreak and prepare for the next one, China (the Chinese Communist Party) must provide data from the early days of the outbreak. Going forward, all countries, including China, should be involved in a transparent and robust process of preventing and responding to health emergencies – so that the world can learn as much as possible as soon as possible.”
On February 9, WHO issued a statement saying that the CCP virus pandemic could not have started with a leak at the Wuhan laboratory (Wuhan Institute of Virus), and on February 11, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus changed his statement to say that all hypotheses about the origin of the virus were still under consideration.
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