Kentuckiana Times

WASHINGTON – As the World Health Organization (WHO) conducts negotiations on a global agreement on “pandemic prevention, preparedness and response”, Congresswoman Erin Houchin (R-Ind.-09) and Congressman Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.-07) led a letter with their colleagues to urge Secretary Blinken to follow the Constitutional treaty process with respect to these discussions. The call for accountability follows legislation requiring Congress have a roll in the negotiations.

 

“After years of WHO failures and legitimate criticisms from across the political and policy spectrum related to the COVID-19 pandemic Americans are rightly concerned about global health agreements and I share their concern. The American people expect their elected representatives in Congress play their constitutional role and ensure America’s sovereignty.

 

“There is a process for the Executive and the Legislative branches to work together on matters of great importance and that process is very clearly laid out in the Constitution. We expect that you adhere to this process, especially given the gravity of the subject matter,” said Congresswoman Houchin and members in the letter.

 

The letter highlights legislation led by Congressman Tiffany and supported by Congresswoman Houchin to require any agreement that the United States is party to be subject to Senate approval as a treaty in accordance with the Constitution of the United States.

 

For the full letter, click here. 

 

Full text of the letter:

 

The Honorable Antony Blinken 

Secretary 

U.S. Department of State

2201 C St. NW

Washington, DC 20520

 

Dear Secretary Blinken:

 

We write with respect to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) ongoing negotiations on a global agreement on “pandemic prevention, preparedness and response”.

 

As you know the WHO and its member countries have begun negotiations on a pandemic accord. You and Secretary Becerra have appointed Pamela K. Hamamoto as the negotiator representing the United States during these discussions.

 

According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published last month, the federal government has spent approximately $4.6 trillion in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This, coupled with the human cost in lives, and other effects such as learning loss and mental health effects, make the true cost of the pandemic difficult to fully grasp, but we can all agree it was a major global event.

 

It is for this reason that we believe any agreement, accord, or arrangement should be submitted to the Senate as a treaty. Simply put - something of this magnitude deserves the process our founders laid out in the Constitution. Article II, section two states that the President, “shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur”.

 

In this spirit, we wish to highlight H.R. 1425 and S. 444, the No WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty Without Senate Approval Act. There is a process for the Executive and the Legislative branches to work together on matters of great importance and that process is very clearly laid out in the Constitution. We expect that you adhere to this process, especially given the gravity of the subject matter.

 

Sincerely,

Original source can be found here.