Covid-19 Origin Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to encourage Members to support passage of S. 619, a bill that requires the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information related to the origin of COVID-19.

The need for transparency regarding the origin of this pandemic cannot be overstated, especially as the world continues to grapple with its effects.

I thank Chairman Turner for his leadership on this issue, and I thank the Senate Intelligence Committee for their diligent work.

As you all know, the COVID-19 pandemic and the government's chaotic response have had a devastating impact on our Nation and the world. It has caused loss of life, disrupted our economy, and fundamentally changed our way of life.

We owe it to the American people to inform them where this virus originated and how. Republican Members charged with oversight have always been champions of transparency and accountability. By supporting this bill, we are showing the American people that we take this responsibility seriously. Republicans are keeping their promise to do everything within our power to get the truth and hold those responsible accountable.

To date, the source of the virus remains unclear, and there are strong indications that it may have originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.

The American people deserve answers. They deserve to know the truth about the origin of this pandemic. Without transparency, the public will turn to malign actors for information, further undermining our citizens' trust in the government and its intelligence agencies.

As we know, trust is a vital component of any successful democracy. When citizens do not trust their government, it destabilizes society and strains the fabric that binds our communities together.

The intelligence community has a responsibility to provide the American people with accurate information that can help them make informed decisions. By declassifying the information on COVID-19, the DNI can help restore the public's trust in our intelligence community.

Madam Speaker, I urge support for passage of S. 619. It is our duty to the American people to do everything within our power to get to the truth, and this bill is an important step in that direction.

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