IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 917 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States 

should withhold the contribution of Federal funds to the World Health 

Organization until Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus resigns and an 

international commission to investigate the World Health Organization 

is established. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 7, 2020 

Mr. RESCHENTHALER (for himself, Mr. PERRY, Mr. KELLER, Mr. BABIN, Mr. 

GOSAR, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. WRIGHT, Mr. BANKS, Mr. TIMMONS, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Mr. ROY, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. MURPHY of North 

Carolina, Mr. RIGGLEMAN, Mr. WALTZ, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. GONZALEZ

of Ohio, Ms. CHENEY, Mr. FERGUSON, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. GAETZ, and Mr. 

FLORES) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

the United States should withhold the contribution of 

Federal funds to the World Health Organization until 

Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus resigns and an 

international commission to investigate the World Health 

Organization is established. 

Whereas, on April 7, 1948, the World Health Organization 

was formed as an agency of the United Nations; 

Whereas the World Health Organization Constitution states, 

‘‘The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:53 Apr 07, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR917.IH HR917

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•HRES 917 IH 

ment of peace and security and is dependent upon the 

fullest co-operation of individuals and States’’; 

Whereas, on June 14, 1948, the Congress passed a joint resolution providing for and participation by the United 

States in the World Health Organization and authorizing 

an appropriation therefor; 

Whereas the United States joined the World Health Organization on June 21, 1948, and currently contributes 22 

percent of the World Health Organizations member-state 

contributions; 

Whereas Caixin Global reported that the People’s Republic of 

China ordered Chinese Labs destroy COVID-19 genome 

samples and not publish their research; 

Whereas, on December 30, 2019, Dr. Li Wenliang issued a 

warning about COVID-19 and was accused of lying by 

the Chinese Communist Party authorities; 

Whereas, on December 31, 2019, the Republic of China 

warned the World Health Organization that COVID-19 

could be transmitted human-to-human, but the World 

Health Organization ignored their warning as not to offend the People’s Republic of China; 

Whereas, on January 14, 2020, the World Health Organization tweeted, ‘‘preliminary investigations conducted by 

the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of 

human-to-human transmission’’; 

Whereas, on January 22–23, 2020, the World Health Organization debated if COVID-19 was a ‘‘public health emergency of international concern’’ as several countries had 

citizens sick with the virus; 

Whereas Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus stated, ‘‘The 

Chinese government is to be congratulated for the exVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:53 Apr 07, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR917.IH HR917

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•HRES 917 IH 

traordinary measures it has taken . . . I left in absolutely no doubt about China’s commitment to transparency’’; 

Whereas a University of Southampton study argues the People’s Republic of China could have reduced the number 

of COVID-19 cases by 95 percent if the nation moved 

three weeks sooner; and 

Whereas, on January 30, 2020, Director-General Tedros 

Ghebreyesus stated on the topic of travel to and from 

China, ‘‘WHO doesn’t recommend limiting trade and 

movement’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that no Federal funds should be obligated or 

3 expended to make voluntary United States contributions 

4 to the World Health Organization until Director-General 

5 Tedros Ghebreyesus resigns and an international commis6 sion is established to investigate the World Health Organi7 zation mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Æ 


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