Wenstrup Delivers Remarks at COVID Select’s Final Report Markup, Releases Recommendations for a Path Forward

WASHINGTON — Today, Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) delivered remarks at a markup of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic’s final report titled “After Action Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Lessons Learned and a Path Forward.” Chairman Wenstrup explained how this 520-page report is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication to uncover the truth about the COVID-19 pandemic for the American people. The report will serve as a road map for Congress, the Executive Branch, and the private sector to prepare for and respond to future pandemics. Chairman Wenstrup also recognized Select Subcommittee staff, witnesses, and whistleblowers for their dedication to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in America’s public health system.

During today’s markup, Chairman Wenstrup submitted recommendations for improving public health and pandemic response to the Congressional Record. See the Select Subcommittee’s final recommendations here.

An updated version of the full final report was also offered as an amendment in the nature of a substitute. See the Select Subcommittee’s updated final report here.

In support of the final report, the Chairman released all previously unreleased interview transcripts and the report’s supplementary materials. The transcripts can be found below and the supplementary materials can be found in eight parts:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5
• Part 6
• Part 7
• Part 8

Transcribed Interviews and Depositions:

• Dr. Kristian Andersen
• Dr. Hugh Auchincloss
• Dr. Ralph Baric
• Dr. Francis Collins
• The Honorable Andrew Cuomo
• Dr. Peter Daszak
• Ms. Melissa DeRosa
• Dr. Emily Erbelding
• Dr. Michael Farzan
• Dr. Anthony Fauci
  • Part 1
  • Part 2
• Mr. Greg Folkers
• Dr. Robert Garry
• Ms. Beth Garvey
• Dr. James Gimlett
• Mr. F. Gray Handley
• Dr. Peter Hotez
• Mr. Bradley Hutton
• CDR Jean-Paul Chretien
• Ms. Farrah Kennedy
• Ms. Linda Lacewell
• Dr. Clifford Lane
• Dr. Michael Lauer
• Dr. Ian Lipkin
• Dr. James Malatras
• Dr. Gretta Massetti
• Ms. Margaret Moore
• Dr. David Morens
  • Part 1
  • Part 2
• Ms. Kelly Nedrow
• Mr. Garreth Rhodes
• Mr. Lawrence Schwartz
• Dr. Erik Stemmy
• Dr. Jeffrey Sturchio
• Dr. Lawrence Tabak
• Ms. Marla Ucelli-Kashyap
• Dr. Janet Woodcock
• Dr. Howard Zucker

THUMBNAIL OF BRW TALKING

Below are Select Subcommittee Chairman Wenstrup’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

Before I get started, I would like to introduce some articles for the record that are exemplary of the Select Subcommittee’s finding that a lab leak is the most likely origin scenario, that the Chinese Communist Party was conducting dangerous research, and this type of dangerous research was notionally supported by the NIH. 

I ask unanimous consent for a 2005 statement from the State Department that says China has a bio-weapons program. Without objection, so ordered.

I ask unanimous consent for a 2015 article by Dr. Ralph Baric and Dr. Zhengli Shi where they created a chimera of two bat-borne coronaviruses that gained function. Without objection, so ordered.

I ask unanimous consent for a 2017 article by Wuhan Institute of Virology research Dr. Ben Hu where he created multiple chimeras of coronaviruses under BSL-2 conditions at the WIV. Without objection, so ordered.

I ask unanimous consent for a 2011 article by Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins that stated “…important information and insights can come from generating a potentially dangerous virus in the laboratory.” Without objection, so ordered.

And I ask unanimous consent for a 2012 paper written by Dr. Fauci that stated that the benefits of gain of function research outweigh the risks. Without objection, so ordered.

I want to thank all of those that voluntarily presented to the committee to give honest and forthright testimony.

This Report is the culmination of years of work and dedication.

The Select Subcommittee held bad actors accountable, drove actual change in our public health agencies, and provided a road map for what to and what not to do.

I could go on and on about the findings in this Report, but I think I will let the 500 pages, and 2,000 footnotes speak for themselves.

Today, we are also releasing all previously unreleased interview transcripts and supplementary materials.

We, as a subcommittee, are also grateful to whistleblowers that courageously, through long hours and dedication, provided important evidence that we may not have found.

Thanking the hard work of the professional staffers on this subcommittee is a must. Our staff was an extraordinary group of hardworking patriots seeking to fight for (my favorite Superman motto) truth, justice and the American way.

Mitch Benzine, Staff Director

Eric Osterhues, Chief Counsel

Jack Emmer, Senior Counsel

Madeline Brewer, Counsel

Peter Spectre, Professional Staff Member

Anna Blake Langley, Professional Staff Member

Liz Lyons, Communications Director

Olivia Coleman, Press Secretary

Marie Policastro, Director of Operations and Member Services.

In one scenario, years from now, people perhaps will have long forgotten what we did here.

If our work leads to a trustable system that is able to complete our goals of predicting, preparing, protecting and preventing the next pandemic, reward enough.

May God be with us and out future generations of Americans.

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