Bowling Green Today

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has joined U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) and the entire Senate Republican conference in sending a letter to President Biden, urging his administration to withdraw support for two international agreements under consideration at this month’s World Health Assembly (WHA). The senators argue that these agreements would grant greater authority to the World Health Organization (WHO) and potentially undermine United States sovereignty.

The letter criticizes the WHO's response to COVID-19 and suggests that President Biden should prioritize necessary reforms over advancing international treaties and regulations. The senators state, “Some of the over 300 proposals for amendments made by member states would substantially increase the WHO’s health emergency powers and constitute intolerable infringements upon U.S. sovereignty.”

They further note that the WHO’s pandemic response was “as total as it was predictable and did lasting harm to our country,” expressing concern over continued support from the Biden administration for these initiatives. They strongly urge President Biden to reconsider, stating, “Should you ignore this advice, we state in the strongest possible terms that we consider any such agreement to be a treaty requiring the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senate under Article II Section 2 of the Constitution.”

Joining Dr. Paul and Sen. Johnson on this letter are Senators John Barrasso, M.D. (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith(R-MS ), John Kennedy(R-LA ), James Lankford(R-OK ), Mike Lee(R-UT ), Cynthia Lummis(R-WY ), Roger Marshall ,M.D.( R-KS ), Mitch McConnell( R-KY ), Jerry Moran( R-KS ), Markwayne Mullin( R-OK ), Pete Ricketts( R-NE ), James Risch( R-ID ), Mitt Romney( R -UT ) ,MikeRounds( R-SD ) ,Marco Rubio( R-FL ) ,Eric Schmitt( R-MO ) ,Rick Scott( FL ) ,Tim Scott(SC) Dan Sullivan(AK)John Thune(SD Thom Tillis(NC Tommy Tuberville(AL JD Vance OH Roger Wicker(MS Lisa Murkowski(AK Susan Collins(ME Todd Young(IN)

Further details about the senators’ May 1, 2024 letter can be found on Fox News.