House Republicans are expected to grill White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci on Tuesday about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US response to it, and future efforts to prevent future pandemics.
The hearing, which is taking place before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, comes as Republican lawmakers have increasingly focused their attention on the origins of the virus — pushing unsubstantiated claims that it may have been manufactured in a Chinese laboratory — rather than focusing on the measures needed to contain its spread and boost the economic recovery.
Fauci and other top U.S. health officials have repeatedly said that there is no evidence that the virus was created in a laboratory and have accused the Chinese government of attempting to obfuscate the source of the outbreak.
Fauci is also likely to face questions about the federal government’s response to the pandemic, which Republicans have criticized for being too slow, as well as potential threats posed by future pandemics. He is expected to defend the Biden administration’s response and current countermeasures while also acknowledging the need for further regulatory action to be taken to protect public health.
