COVID–19 Origin Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-1376
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10]
Introduced: 2023-03-03
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Asia

Cardiovascular and respiratory health

China

Congressional oversight

Director of National Intelligence

Government studies and investigations

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Latest action: action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 20.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-03-03
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to declassify all information relating to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of COVID-19. The ODNI must submit to Congress an unclassified report with all such information with redactions only as necessary to protect sources and methods.</p>

action_date: 2023-03-30
action_desc: Reported to House, Part I
text: <p><b>COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to declassify all information relating to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of COVID-19. The ODNI must submit to Congress an unclassified report with all such information with redactions only as necessary to protect sources and methods.</p>

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 20 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1376 [Report No. 118–32, Part I] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 3, 2023 Mr. Turner (for himself, Mr. Wenstrup , Mr. Stewart , Mr. Crawford , Ms. Stefanik , Mr. Kelly of Mississippi , Mr. LaHood , Mr. Fitzpatrick , Mr. Gallagher , Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia , Mr. Hill , Mr. Crenshaw , Mr. Waltz , and Mr. Mike Garcia of California ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence , and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned March 30, 2023 Reported from the Committee on Intelligence March 30, 2023 Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed A BILL To require the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information relating to the origin of COVID–19, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the COVID–19 Origin Act of 2023 . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) identifying the origin of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) is critical for preventing a similar pandemic from occurring in the future; (2) there is reason to believe the COVID–19 pandemic may have originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology; and (3) the Director of National Intelligence should declassify and make available to the public as much information as possible about the origin of COVID–19 so the United States and like-minded countries can— (A) identify the origin of COVID–19 as expeditiously as possible; and (B) use that information to take all appropriate measures to prevent a similar pandemic from occurring again. 3. Declassification of information related to the origin of COVID–19 Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence shall— (1) declassify any and all information relating to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19), including— (A) activities performed by the Wuhan Institute of Virology with or on behalf of the People’s Liberation Army; (B) coronavirus research or other related activities performed at the Wuhan Institute of Virology prior to the outbreak of COVID–19; and (C) researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology who fell ill in autumn 2019, including for any such researcher— (i) the researcher’s name; (ii) the researcher’s symptoms; (iii) the date of the onset of the researcher’s symptoms; (iv) the researcher’s role at the Wuhan Institute of Virology; (v) whether the researcher was involved with or exposed to coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology; (vi) whether the researcher visited a hospital while they were ill; and (vii) a description of any other actions taken by the researcher that may suggest they were experiencing a serious illness at the time; and (2) submit to Congress an unclassified report that contains— (A) all of the information described under paragraph (1); and (B) only such redactions as the Director determines necessary to protect sources and methods.

March 30, 2023 Reported from the Committee on Intelligence March 30, 2023 Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1376 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 3, 2023 Mr. Turner (for himself, Mr. Wenstrup , Mr. Stewart , Mr. Crawford , Ms. Stefanik , Mr. Kelly of Mississippi , Mr. LaHood , Mr. Fitzpatrick , Mr. Gallagher , Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia , Mr. Hill , Mr. Crenshaw , Mr. Waltz , and Mr. Mike Garcia of California ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence , and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To require the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information relating to the origin of COVID–19, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the COVID–19 Origin Act of 2023 . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) identifying the origin of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) is critical for preventing a similar pandemic from occurring in the future; (2) there is reason to believe the COVID–19 pandemic may have originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology; and (3) the Director of National Intelligence should declassify and make available to the public as much information as possible about the origin of COVID–19 so the United States and like-minded countries can— (A) identify the origin of COVID–19 as expeditiously as possible; and (B) use that information to take all appropriate measures to prevent a similar pandemic from occurring again. 3. Declassification of information related to the origin of COVID–19 Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence shall— (1) declassify any and all information relating to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19), including— (A) activities performed by the Wuhan Institute of Virology with or on behalf of the People’s Liberation Army; (B) coronavirus research or other related activities performed at the Wuhan Institute of Virology prior to the outbreak of COVID–19; and (C) researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology who fell ill in autumn 2019, including for any such researcher— (i) the researcher’s name; (ii) the researcher’s symptoms; (iii) the date of the onset of the researcher’s symptoms; (iv) the researcher’s role at the Wuhan Institute of Virology; (v) whether the researcher was involved with or exposed to coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology; (vi) whether the researcher visited a hospital while they were ill; and (vii) a description of any other actions taken by the researcher that may suggest they were experiencing a serious illness at the time; and (2) submit to Congress an unclassified report that contains— (A) all of the information described under paragraph (1); and (B) only such redactions as the Director determines necessary to protect sources and methods.