Bowling Green Today

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) recently joined 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 agreements would grant greater authority to the World Health Organization (WHO) and potentially impact U.S. sovereignty.

The letter criticizes the WHO's response to COVID-19 and suggests that President Biden should prioritize reforms over advancing international treaties that could expand WHO authority, affect intellectual property rights, and limit freedom of speech.

The senators stated: “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 expressed concerns about the WHO's pandemic response, describing it as a failure that caused significant harm. They urged President Biden to reconsider supporting these initiatives, 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 was also signed by Senators John Barrasso (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 (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(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(R-OH ), Roger Wicker(MS-AK.)

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