House votes to declassify info about origins of COVID-19

that the COVID-19 pandemic may have originated from *** lab leak in China isn't *** new theory but the FBI director adding his weight behind it in *** Fox news interview is the FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely *** potential lab incident. His comments come after *** new report from the US department that reached the same conclusion though with low confidence, the circumstantial case for *** lab origin has only grown and I think not just the FBI but really the world is coming around to what some of us have believed for many years. Now, *** biting reaction from China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning says the US intelligence community has no credibility because of what she calls *** record of fraud and deception and urges the US to stop politicizing the issue of traceability from the White House. Not everyone in the intelligence community or across the government necessarily has come to *** consensus view here on how it started The public health community expressing concerns the back and forth on the virus's origin theories, whether lab leak or animal to human transmission, takes away from the real issue, preventing the next pandemic. The longer we go, the more it's going to be very difficult to go back to the scene of the crime. If you will and figure out and unravel what happened. Others say another real problem. The search for truth is one sided. We don't have an answer now because China has prevented an investigation. *** point that's also contested one of the many after nearly three years without consensus or conclusive answers on how it all started. Chris Reyes CBC News, New York.

The House voted unanimously Friday to declassify U.S. intelligence information about the origins of COVID-19, a sweeping show of bipartisan support near the third anniversary of the start of the deadly pandemic.The 419-0 vote was the final approval of the bill, sending it to President Joe Biden's desk to be signed into law.Debate was brief and to the point: Americans have questions about how the deadly virus started and what can be done to prevent future outbreaks."The American public deserves answers to every aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.That includes, he said, "how this virus was created and, specifically, whether it was a natural occurrence or was the result of a lab-related event."The order to declassify focused on intelligence related to China's Wuhan Institute of Virology, citing "potential links" between the research that was done there and the outbreak of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic in March 2020.U.S. intelligence agencies are divided over whether a lab leak or a spillover from animals is the likely source of the deadly virus.Experts say the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1 million Americans, may not be known for many years — if ever."Transparency is a cornerstone of our democracy," said Rep. Jim Himes, of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, during the debate. "Because without transparency the American people can't make the sounds that they need to make responsibly as citizens of a democracy."Led by Republicans, the focus on the virus origins comes as the House launched a select committee with a hearing earlier in the week delving into theories about how the pandemic started.It offers a rare moment of bipartisanship despite the often heated rhetoric about the origins of the coronavirus and the questions about the response to the virus by U.S. health officials, including former top health adviser Anthony Fauci.The legislation from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., was already approved by the Senate.If signed into law, the measure would require within 90 days the declassification of "any and all information relating to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of the Coronavirus Disease."That includes information about research and other activities at the lab and whether any researchers grew ill.

WASHINGTON —

The 419-0 vote was the final approval of the bill, sending it to President Joe Biden's desk to be signed into law.

Debate was brief and to the point: Americans have questions about how the deadly virus started and what can be done to prevent future outbreaks.

"The American public deserves answers to every aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

That includes, he said, "how this virus was created and, specifically, whether it was a natural occurrence or was the result of a lab-related event."

The order to declassify focused on intelligence related to China's Wuhan Institute of Virology, citing "potential links" between the research that was done there and the outbreak of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic in March 2020.

U.S. intelligence agencies are divided over whether a lab leak or a spillover from animals is the likely source of the deadly virus.

Experts say the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1 million Americans, may not be known for many years — if ever.

"Transparency is a cornerstone of our democracy," said Rep. Jim Himes, of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, during the debate. "Because without transparency the American people can't make the sounds that they need to make responsibly as citizens of a democracy."

Led by Republicans, the focus on the virus origins comes as the House launched a select committee with a hearing earlier in the week delving into theories about how the pandemic started.

It offers a rare moment of bipartisanship despite the often heated rhetoric about the origins of the coronavirus and the questions about the response to the virus by U.S. health officials, including former top health adviser Anthony Fauci.

The legislation from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., was already approved by the Senate.

If signed into law, the measure would require within 90 days the declassification of "any and all information relating to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of the Coronavirus Disease."

That includes information about research and other activities at the lab and whether any researchers grew ill.

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