Sens. Marshall, Blackburn, Hagerty Urge Senate Leadership to Halt Confirmation of Nominees Involved in Ending COVID-19 Origins Investigation

(Washington, D.C., June 29, 2021) – U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (KS), Marsha Blackburn (TN), and Bill Hagerty (TN) sent letters to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, as well as Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (NJ) and Ranking Member James Risch (ID), urging them to halt the confirmation of nominees who played a role in ending the original COVID-19 origins investigation.

The letter sent to Majority Leader Schumer and Republican Leader McConnell called for the delay of any further action on the nomination of Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins to be Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security until she clarifies her role in ending the original COVID-19 origins investigation. You may click HERE to read the letter in its entirety. The letter said in part,

“While Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins served on the State Department Review Team for the Biden-Harris Transition Team, the Biden Administration ended an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic that was investigating whether the virus originated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology. We urge you to delay any further action on this nomination until Ambassador Jenkins answers key questions related to her role… The results of a nonpartisan arms control investigation into dual use research and potential Biological Weapons Convention violations at the Wuhan Institute of Virology are crucial to understanding the origin of the coronavirus. Any nomination for Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Control and International Security must state their full support for reopening this investigation.”

The letter sent to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Menendez and Ranking Member Risch called for the delay of any further action on the nomination of Eliot Kang to be Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation until he clarifies his role in ending the original COVID-19 origins investigation. You may click HERE to read the letter in its entirety. The letter said in part,

“While Eliot Kang served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of International Security and Non-Proliferation, the Biden Administration ended an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic that was investigating whether the virus originated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology. We urge you to delay any further action on this nomination until they answer key questions related to their role in ending the COVID-19 origins investigation… The results of a nonpartisan arms control investigation into dual use research and potential Biological Weapons Convention violations at the Wuhan Institute of Virology are crucial to understanding the origin of the coronavirus. Any nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation must state their full support for reopening this investigation.”

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