Biden signs bill to declassify COVID-19 origins information

Biden signs bill to release COVID-19 origins information
President Joe Biden signs a bill ordering the declassification of information related to COVID-19 origins. Biden shares Congress’s goal of releasing as much information as possible about the virus’s origins. The legislation applies only to material related to the Wuhan Institute of Virology as a potential source of the virus.
Biden says his administration will continue to review all classified information relating to COVID-19’s origins, including potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Biden’s administration will declassify and share as much information as possible, consistent with his constitutional authority not to disclose information that would harm national security.
Controversy over COVID-19 origins
Republicans accuse Biden of not being tough enough on China. New evidence cited by the World Health Organization contributes to the theory that the virus originated from animals. Samples collected at a Chinese seafood market in Wuhan show raccoon dog DNA comingled with the virus. Only one of the eight agencies that investigated the link initially favored the institute as the likely source, according to the declassified summary of government investigations submitted to the White House in 2021
Four intelligence agencies and the National Intelligence Council concluded, with low confidence, that the virus likely spread to humans from an infected animal. The Energy Department, which had been one of three agencies unable to reach a conclusion, now leans toward the theory that the virus leaked from the virology institute, according to the Wall Street Journal
Reactions to the bill signing
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who sponsored the declassification bill, celebrates Biden’s decision to sign it, writing in a tweet, “Let the people see for themselves! Huge victory for transparency. Now time for accountability.”
Republicans made investigating the origins of COVID one of their top priorities after taking control of the House in January
Rep. Michael Turner, the Ohio Republican who heads the House Intelligence Committee, says his panel is aware of information that could help explain why “a lab leak theory is not just a possibility but approaches the idea that it is likely”
Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, says the classified information shows there’s no answer yet but that the government should release as much declassified information as possible because transparency is critical
Conclusion
Biden’s signing of the bill ordering the declassification of information related to COVID-19’s origins is a significant step in the ongoing efforts to understand the virus’s origin. Republicans have accused Biden of not being tough enough on China, and the origins of COVID-19 have been a politically charged issue.
The declassification of information related to the Wuhan Institute of Virology as a potential source of the virus will hopefully provide more clarity on the virus’s origins and help prevent future pandemics.