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 the President should prioritize reforms over international treaties and regulations that could increase WHO authority, affect intellectual property rights, and infringe on freedom of speech.

“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,” the senators wrote.

They further noted that the WHO's pandemic response was “as total as it was predictable and did lasting harm to our country,” expressing deep concern over continued support from the Biden administration for these initiatives. The letter strongly urges a change in course.

The senators concluded by 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.”

The letter is supported by 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 ) , Mike Rounds( R-SD ) , Marco Rubio( R-FL ) , Eric Schmitt( R-MO ) , Rick Scott( R-FL ) , Tim Scott( R-SC) Dan Sullivan(R-AK) John Thune(R-SD) Thom Tillis(R-NC) Tommy Tuberville(R -AL) J.D.Vance(O H) Roger Wicker(MS).

Further details about their May 1, 2024 letter can be found on Fox News.

Full text of the letter is available HERE.

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