Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) introduced a bill on Thursday that would give Congress greater oversight of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a copy of measurements obtained exclusively by The Post
The bill, known as the “COVID Cruelty Act,” would mandate congressional appointments and term limits for the directors of both agencies, as well as require a majority vote by both houses to approve public health emergencies that last longer than 90 days.
An advisory committee for the CDC director will also be appointed by Congress and with the approval of the US inspector general.
The measure would continue to mandate foreign research laboratories that receive US government funding to pass quarterly inspections of animal welfare and hygiene standards.
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) introduced a bill Thursday to undo federal overreach of public health authorities amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a copy obtained by The Post. AP
The legislation comes six months after President Biden ended the COVID public health emergency and national emergency declaration that was initiated under his predecessor, Donald Trump, in March 2020.
Many controversial COVID-era policies have bypassed legislative approval, with federal and state authorities unilaterally imposing lockdowns, mask mandates and vaccine passports — only to face criticism and reverse later.
Much of the frustration centered on conflicting public health advice from figures such as NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, who pushed for strict COVID mandates while downplaying the theory that the virus had leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China involved in risky profit-making research funded by the NIH.
While Trump instituted the first restrictions via executive order, he opposed a national mask mandate and left office before having to consider federal COVID vaccination requirements.
Many of the controversial policies of the COVID era bypassed legislative approval, with federal and state authorities unilaterally imposing lockdowns, mask mandates and vaccine passports. Paul Martinka
Biden issued a federal employee mask mandate on his first day in office and required non-citizens to present proof of vaccinations upon entering the US.
That last measure was lifted in May, along with all vaccine requirements for federal workers, which had been blocked by an appeals court two months earlier.
The Biden administration also saw attempts to force vaccinations or COVID testing on private employers overturned by the Supreme Court.
“The mandates, vaccine passports, forced shutdowns, and overreach imposed by Joe Biden and his army of federal bureaucrats during the COVID pandemic set a very dangerous precedent that continues today,” Schmitt said in a statement.
Much of the frustration centered on conflicting public health advice from figures such as NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, who pushed for a strict COVID mandate. AFP via Getty Images
“The people of Missouri don’t need a faceless official buried in a room in Washington telling them how to live their lives — as a Senator, I intend to protect the people of Missouri from further regulation after decree from unelected bureaucrats,” he added.
“The End COVID Tyranny Act limits the power of executive branch actors and returns the important role of oversight to the Article I branch, the people’s branch.”
Schmitt’s bill would further ban the mask mandate for the federal Head Start program until the end of 2024, allowing Congress to periodically extend the measure.
It also requires hospitals to inform patients of their right to receive visits from family and friends, and prevents unvaccinated or COVID-positive people from being denied the right to donate organs.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
