Washington, D.C. - House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Health Republican Leader Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Republican Leader Morgan Griffith (R-VA) sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday. The leaders are requesting an update from the State Department on its Jan. 15, 2021 fact sheet regarding the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) collaborating with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
The leaders point to their prior letter and ask that Secretary Blinken cooperate with their investigation now that the Intelligence Community’s 90-day review has concluded.
LETTER EXCERPT: “The Department’s response dated July 7, 2021, did not directly address our request, and cited the then ongoing 90-day review by the Intelligence Community ordered by President Biden. Given that this review has concluded, we would ask that the Department of State please provide an update by Oct. 19, 2021 concerning the January 15 Fact Sheet claim that the WIV has collaborated on publications and secret projects with China’s military. This is a very straightforward request, and we would appreciate a direct answer on whether the State Department continues to maintain that the WIV has collaborated on secret projects with China’s military."
In response to their first letter, Acting Assistant Secretary of State Naz Durakoglu sent a brief response but failed to address their request.
