Title: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that a United States withdrawal from the World Health Organization undermines United States global health leadership and the international COVID-19 response.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution expresses disapproval of the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). The resolution emphasizes the importance of U.S. membership to ensure the implementation of reforms necessary for the WHO to respond to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) crisis and future crises.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 653 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 653

Expressing the sense of the Senate that a United States withdrawal from 
 the World Health Organization undermines United States global health 
          leadership and the international COVID-19 response.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 21, 2020

 Mr. Cardin (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Van 
Hollen, Mr. Coons, Mr. Carper, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Casey, Mrs. Murray, Mr. 
     Heinrich, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. 
   Feinstein, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Reed, Mr. Udall, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. 
 Warren, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Smith, Mr. King, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Booker, 
    Ms. Hirono, Ms. Rosen, and Mr. Merkley) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that a United States withdrawal from 
 the World Health Organization undermines United States global health 
          leadership and the international COVID-19 response.

Whereas United States contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO) are 
        leveraged with contributions from other countries, the private sector, 
        and foundations to advance longstanding United States global health 
        priorities;
Whereas the WHO was founded in 1948 with United States help and has been at the 
        forefront of major global health achievements in the last 72 years, 
        including the eradication of polio, because of United States financial 
        and diplomatic support;
Whereas the United States has consistently been the largest donor to the WHO in 
        recognition of its vital role in saving lives, improving global disease 
        detection, and coordinating a global public health response;
Whereas the WHO is able to implement health programs in places the United States 
        Government cannot as effectively operate in, including Afghanistan, 
        Syria, Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
Whereas the WHO leads polio surveillance, immunization, and technical support, 
        and is able to reach remote areas in countries where polio still exists;
Whereas the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief works with the WHO to 
        enhance programs and policies in areas, including laboratory capacity, 
        prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV, health system 
        strengthening, prevention of tuberculosis infections, and counseling and 
        testing;
Whereas the United States is home to 83 different WHO collaborating centers, 
        more than 20 of which are at the Centers for Disease Control and the 
        National Institutes of Health;
Whereas the WHO, following the 2014 West African Ebola outbreak, undertook a 
        series of reforms to strengthen its health emergencies program and 
        response in large part due to United States involvement;
Whereas the WHO is leading the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic with its 
        technical, communications, and organizational capacities in 150 
        countries;
Whereas the WHO is coordinating an unprecedented global clinical trial, known as 
        the ``Solidarity Trial'', to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of 4 
        drug treatment combinations against COVID-19, involving more than 100 
        countries, 400 hospitals, and more than 3,500 patients;
Whereas the WHO is leading the global effort to supply health commodities and is 
        coordinating the United Nations Global Supply Chain Task Force, which is 
        working with the private sector, the World Food Programme, and the 
        European Central Bank to establish an emergency supply chain for low-
        resource countries;
Whereas at least 135 countries rely on the WHO to procure millions of pieces of 
        personal protective equipment and other vital health commodities like 
        tests and testing supplies;
Whereas the WHO is the only organization with the legal mandate and capacity to 
        gather public health data from any country in the world and use it to 
        quickly develop and disseminate technical guidance to help countries 
        prepare public health responses;
Whereas the WHO, through a partnership with member states, major donors, and 
        private sector partners called the ACT Accelerator, is already working 
        to pre-position manufacturing capacity and distribution channels to 
        ensure that all countries have access to future therapies and vaccines 
        faster and at a fair price;
Whereas the Trump Administration froze funding to the WHO pending a ``60 to 90 
        day review'' on April 14, 2020, but without any disclosure of the 
        review's findings, gave the WHO 30 days to make unspecified reforms on 
        May 19, 2020, and then, 11 days later, announced the United States would 
        withdraw from the WHO;
Whereas, on June 25, 2020, the Senate passed by unanimous consent S. Res. 579, 
        urging United States leadership and participation in global efforts on 
        therapeutics and vaccine development and delivery to address COVID-19; 
        and
Whereas, on July 6, 2020, the Trump Administration officially submitted a formal 
        letter to the United Nations Secretary General to withdraw the United 
        States from the WHO: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) withdrawing the United States from the World Health 
        Organization--
                    (A) undermines United States global health 
                priorities and threatens lives around the world and in 
                the United States;
                    (B) risks weakening the global response to the 
                COVID-19 pandemic;
                    (C) threatens United States humanitarian responses; 
                and
                    (D) creates a vacuum of leadership at the WHO at a 
                time when it has been our expressed interest to counter 
                China's growing influence within the organization; and
            (2) the World Health Assembly agreed by consensus to 
        appoint an interim assessment of the response to COVID-19, and 
        by remaining a member in good standing, the United States will 
        have the most leverage to advocate and put in place the reforms 
        necessary for the World Health Organization to respond to this 
        and future crises.
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