Twenty-four Republican governors say they don’t want the World Health Organization (WHO) to have call-up power in the event of a new global pandemic. letter They sent it to President Biden this week.
According to the Republican Governors Association, two proposals are currently being negotiated that would give the WHO “unprecedented and unconstitutional” powers in the US.
“If adopted, these agreements would elevate WHO from an advisory body to a global authority on public health,” the letter said. “Under the proposed amendments and treaties, the WHO Director-General would have unilateral power to declare a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ in Member States, which would extend beyond pandemics to a range of emergencies.”
WHO Director-General calls for global pandemic treaty to prepare for disease X
The World Health Organization is due to consider two new proposed treaties. (REUTERS/Denis Baribous/File Photo)
The two proposals aim to amend the WHO’s existing International Health Regulations and establish a new “pandemic agreement” treaty.
“Further concerns have been raised that the creation of a global surveillance infrastructure and requiring member states to censor public health speech could facilitate the proliferation of biological weapons,” the governors continued. “We are committed to resisting any attempt to transfer authority over public policies affecting our citizens to the WHO, or for the WHO to exercise such authority over our citizens.”
The letter was signed by Governors Ron DeSantis of Florida, Kay Ivey of Alabama, Mike Dunleavy of Alaska, Eric Holcomb of Indiana, Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Bill Lee of Tennessee, Jim Justice of West Virginia and Kim Reynolds of Iowa.
The governors of Texas, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming also signed the letter.
The letter also said the proposed agreement with WHO would fundamentally change how state governors respond to health emergencies.
All Republican senators pressure Biden not to support expanding WHO’s pandemic powers
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world. (iStock)
Earlier this month, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin led the Republican Senatorial Conference. Calling on President Biden Rejecting any agreement that would expand the WHO’s powers in the event of a global pandemic.
The World Health Assembly (WHA) is scheduled to take place from May 27 to June 1, and is expected to consider an international agreement.
The WHA is the decision-making body of the WHO, meeting annually to set goals and develop policies among its 194 member states.
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COVID-19 patient. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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The Biden administration has pledged to strengthen global cooperation in fighting the pandemic but has criticized some elements of a potential WHO treaty, specifically pouring cold water on an agreement that doesn’t adequately protect pharmaceutical company patents. POLITICO It was reported in January.
The White House and WHO did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital for comment.
Fox News’ Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
