Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky is demanding the release of government documents that could potentially reveal connections between risky research projects funded by the United States and the origins of COVID-19. Paul has requested these documents for several years due to concerns that the SARS-CoV-2 virus might have been created through “gain of function” experiments.
In an interview with NTD News, Paul expressed his frustration with the lack of transparency regarding funding risky research in China and the United States. He believes that all relevant research should be made public and thoroughly reviewed. As part of his effort to pressure the Biden administration into releasing these records, Paul has blocked the confirmation of President Joe Biden’s nominees.
During a recent interview on Fox Business’s “Mornings with Maria,” Paul stated that the administration has refused to provide the requested records for nearly three years. As a result, he has taken a firm stance in blocking nominations and legislation until the administration complies with his demands for transparency.
Paul pointed out certain indicators that suggest a possible laboratory origin of COVID-19. He highlighted the presence of a unique feature, known as the furin cleavage site, within the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which contributes to its high transmissibility among humans. A research proposal submitted to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in 2018 proposed inserting a furin cleavage site into a bat coronavirus. This proposal, attributed to the EcoHealth Alliance, an organization with connections to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China, where the first COVID-19 cases were reported, was ultimately rejected by DARPA. However, Paul questioned the coincidental nature of the proposal and the fact that the SARS-CoV-2 virus possesses the same furin cleavage site.
It should be noted that some scientists argue that the furin cleavage site could have arisen naturally and does not necessarily indicate human manipulation.
Furthermore, Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa released a report with the support of auditors from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Congressional Research Service, watchdog organizations Open The Books (OTB), and the White Coat Waste Project (WCWP). US government grants and contracts to Chinese organizations totaled $490 million since 2017, with much of the funding coming through subcontracts and subgrants. Ernst highlighted the lack of rigorous tracking of these sub-awards by federal officials. Senator Paul also alleged that US funding for American universities was being subcontracted to Chinese military research organizations, such as the China Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS).
Similar claims were made by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee in a December report, which suggested that grant money from the Department of Health and Human Services may have flowed to AMMS.
In conclusion, Senator Rand Paul is actively seeking the release of government documents to shed light on the origins of COVID-19 and to investigate the funding and potential risks associated with particular research projects. He is utilizing his position to block nominations and legislation until the requested records are available.