WASHINGTON, D.C. — The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the United States, resulting in the death of nearly 7 million people worldwide to date.
In an effort to provide much-needed transparency and answers to the American people, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023 (S.619) with a unanimous vote of 419-0.
The bill is now headed to President Biden’s desk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the overall weekly rates of COVID-19-associated hospitalizations among adults ages 65 years and older remain elevated, at 26.1 per 100000 population for the week ending February 11, 2023. The CDC also reports that as of March 13, 2023, the United States has seen 103,499,382 total cases of COVID-19 and 1,117,856 total deaths.
Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) released a statement following the passage of S.619, saying “The American people deserve answers on the origins of the COVID-19 virus…Many Americans still suffer physically, mentally, and economically from the impact of the virus and the measures taken during the pandemic.”
The COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023 is an important step towards providing much-needed answers to the American people who have lost so much during the pandemic.
