Lawmakers who have been advocating for transparency regarding the origins of COVID-19 have expressed disappointment with the declassified U.S. intelligence report. They believe that the administration has not been fully transparent about what it knows.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) released the report on June 23, several days after missing a 90-day deadline set by the COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023. This act, passed by Congress and signed into law in March, requires the disclosure of any potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), which is suspected to be the source of the pandemic.
The 10-page report provides some insights into the activities at the Wuhan lab before the pandemic. However, it does not conclusively determine the source of the virus, leaving open the possibility of it being either a natural occurrence or a product of the lab.
Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, criticized the report for not providing full transparency. She referred to the report as a “slap in the face” to Americans who deserve to know the government’s information about the origins of COVID-19.
Representative Mike Gallagher, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, accused the report of obscuring information instead of providing clarity. He argued that details about the sick researchers at the Wuhan facility should have been released, including their names, symptoms, and involvement in coronavirus-related work.
Senator Roger Marshall also suggested that the administration may have withheld information. He called for intelligence officials to appear before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs to provide further details.
The report confirmed a link between the Wuhan lab and the Chinese military, contradicting previous denials. It stated that the Wuhan lab funded research projects for China’s military, which some of its personnel were involved in.
Critics, such as the nonprofit organization White Coat Waste Project, have called the report underwhelming. They criticized its failure to mention the U.S. taxpayer funding received by the Wuhan lab and the lack of details about the sick researchers.
Overall, lawmakers and organizations are disappointed with the report, claiming that it does not provide the full transparency and information that the American people deserve. They emphasize the importance of honesty and forthcomingness from the government in order to restore public trust and seek justice for the victims of the pandemic.