Sec. 214. Report on origins of the COVID–19 pandemic
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It is the sense of Congress that— it is critical to understand the origins of the COVID–19 pandemic so the United States can better prepare, prevent, and respond to pandemic health threats in the future; given the impact of the COVID–19 pandemic on all Americans, the American people deserve to know what information the United States Government possesses about the origins of COVID–19, as appropriate; Congress shares the concerns expressed by the United States Government and 13 other foreign governments that the international team of experts dispatched to the People’s Republic of China by the World Health Organization
(WHO)to study the origins of the SARS–CoV–2 virus was significantly delayed and lacked access to complete, original data and samples ; the March 30, 2021, statement by the Director-General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, further affirms that the investigative team had encountered difficulties in accessing necessary raw data, that we have not yet found the source of the virus, and that all hypotheses remain on the table ; and it is critical for independent experts to have full access to all pertinent human, animal, and environmental data, live virus samples, research, and personnel involved in the early stages of the outbreak relevant to determining how this pandemic emerged. Not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Energy, and other relevant executive departments, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report consisting of— an assessment of the most likely source or origin of the SARS–CoV–2 virus, including a detailed review of all information the United States possesses that it has identified as potentially relevant to the source or origin of the SARS–CoV–2 virus, including zoonotic transmission and spillover, the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), or other sources of origin, transmission, or spillover, based on the information the United States Government has to date; an identification of the leading credible theories of the etiology of the SARS–CoV–2 virus by the United States Government, the steps the United States has taken to validate those theories, and any variance in assessment or dissent among or between United States intelligence agencies, executive agencies, and executive offices of the most likely source or origin of the SARS–CoV–2 virus, and the basis for such variance or dissent; a description of all steps the United States Government has taken to identify and investigate the source of the SARS–CoV–2 virus, including a timeline of such efforts; a detailed description of the data to which the United States and the WHO have requested and have access to in order to determine the origin of the source of the SARS–CoV–2 virus; an account of efforts by the PRC to cooperate with, impede, or obstruct any inquiry or investigation to determine the source and transmission of SARS–CoV–2 virus, including into a possible lab leak, or to create or spread misinformation or disinformation regarding the source and transmission of SARS–CoV–2 virus by the PRC or CCP, including by national and local governmental and health entities; a detailed account of information known to the United States Government regarding the WIV and associated facilities, including research activities on coronaviruses and gain-of-function research, any reported illnesses of persons associated with the laboratory with symptoms consistent with COVID–19 and the ultimate diagnosis, and a timeline of research relevant to coronaviruses; a list of any known obligations on the PRC that require disclosure and cooperation in the event of a viral outbreak like SARS–CoV–2; and an overview of United States engagement with the PRC with respect to coronaviruses that includes— a detailed accounting of United States engagement with the WIV and similar labs in the PRC specific to coronaviruses, including a detailed accounting United States Government-sponsored research and funding and diplomatic engagements such as track 1.5 and track 2 engagements; and an assessment of any additional scrutiny of United States Government funding to support gain-of-function research in the PRC after the moratorium on such funding was lifted in 2017, and whether United States Government funding was used to support gain-of-function research in China, during the moratorium on gain-of-function research (2014–2017). The report required by subsection
(b)shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex. In this section, the term appropriate committees of Congress means— the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.