BILL: Should the U.S. Leave the World Health Organization? - WHO Withdrawal Act - H.R.79
Tell your reps to support or oppose the bill
The Bill
H.R.79 - WHO Withdrawal Act
Bill Details
- Sponsored by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) on Jan. 9, 2023
- Committees: House - Foreign Affairs
- House & Senate: Not yet passed
- President: Not yet signed
Bill Overview
- The bill requires the president to immediately withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO). It prohibits the use of federal funds for WHO projects.
- The bill also repeals the 1948 act authorizing the U.S. to join the WHO.
What's in the Bill?
Withdraws the U.S. from WHO
- It will prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to fund the organization. According to the Illinois Freedom Caucus, the U.S. has sent over $4 billion to WHO since 2010.
Establishes U.S. autonomy over public health protocols
- Allows U.S. health authorities to determine protocols, warnings, and safety plans for future pandemics and health emergencies.
What Sponsors are Saying
- Rep. Biggs, the sponsor of the bill, said:
"Despite the WHO's failure to objectively provide health guidance to the world, President Biden now seeks to give the WHO more authority to define what a pandemic is, how long a pandemic lasts, and encroach upon the sovereignty of nations like ours. It's unacceptable. My legislation ensures that we protect American interests first."
"During the pandemic, the WHO showed that they are not an independent international public health cooperative, but rather simply a puppet of the Chinese Communist Party. Instead of listening to Chinese scientists warning about the dangers of COVID-19, for months, the WHO parroted CCP talking points including that person-to-person transmission was not possible."
- Tenney continued:
"Since the beginning of the pandemic, the WHO has proven that it does not have America's best interest at heart."
"Withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization is an America First action that is long overdue."
What Opponents are Saying
- One of Biden's first acts in office was to support and strengthen WHO, a decision which "highlight[ed] our nation's commitment to advancing multilateral cooperation in a time of international health crisis."
- The U.S. has a long history of supporting and working with WHO, and despite tensions under Trump, relations have normalized and strengthened under the Biden administration.
Should the U.S. leave WHO? Tell your reps to support or oppose the bill.
—Emma Kansiz
(Photo Credit: Canva)
The Latest
-
Women Are Shaping This Election — Why Is the Media Missing It?As we reflect on the media coverage of this election season, it’s clear that mainstream outlets have zeroed in on the usual read more... Elections -
Your Share of the National Debt is ... $105,000The big picture: The U.S. federal deficit for fiscal year 2024 hit a staggering $1.8 trillion, according to the Congressional read more... Deficits & Debt -
Election News: Second Trump Assassination Attempt, and Poll UpdatesElection Day is 6 weeks away. Here's what's going on in the polls and the presidential candidates' campaigns. September 24 , read more... Congress Shenanigans -
More Women Face Pregnancy-Related Charges After Roe’s Fall, Report FindsWhat’s the story? A report released by Pregnancy Justice, a women's health advocacy group, found that women have been read more... Advocacy
Climate & Consumption
Health & Hunger
Politics & Policy
Safety & Security
Yes! Please leave the stupid thing. It's pretty interesting how certain people would like to stay and the rest of people that they choose to ignore. Won't be heard
Definitely in support of leaving the WHO. They did not serve us or the world well on Covid and who knows how many other times. I don't want an organization siding or conspiring with our enemies. We would better serve ourself by leaving along with our money.
Are we merely sheep to do the bidding of international organizations, or are we Americans that are able to stand up and fight for our lives, our rights, and our health without any foreign medical 'royalty' to tell us, "that is simply not how we do things. And you are not able to decide for yourselves what is right." I say we exercise our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by choosing to support health by doing what's right. The road less traveled is going to be bumpy, but the hard road is usually the right road!
This must be opposed!
Whenever the US leaves an international organization it ultimately loses influence. This legislation, proposed by a MAGA insurrectionist, is exactly the wrong political and economic direction.
Being members of the world, we are part of a larger community, not living in isolation. COVID should have shown us we live in a global society; if problems are not addressed globally, they will persist. Being a part of the World Health Organization allows us a global voice in more significant health issues. Does the voice also cost money? Of course, it does, and that money is well spent.
Typical insular shallow thinking
we should strengthen WHO not weaken it
when things don't go our way we resort to unilateral actions and do not want any accountability
ref the pandemic its still not too late to establish and expose source and hold all accountable for the immense damage inflicted on the world
CAUSES ASKS ME: "Should the U.S. leave WHO? Tell your reps to support or oppose the bill." ME: Pointless to contact my magagop rep and ask him to vote against it -- would not at all surprise me if he helped write it.
Leave the WHO. They spread disinformation and want to censor people who are telling the truth. Democrats are guilty of this too. Our government is taking away our freedoms and the digital dollar will be the last straw. NO to Government and any other governments that want to take our freedoms.
Withdrawing the United States from the World Health Orgaization is terminally stupid.
Trust me, I'm a doctor...
There will be more Pandemics and if we don't have a coordinated response Tens of Millions will suffer and Millions will die unnecessarily!
This is the same man who: Signed Texas amicus brief
Objected to certification of electoral college votes in one or more states
Made false and/or irresponsible public statements against democratic system
Voted against impeachment or conviction of Donald Trump for inciting an insurrection
Voted against creating an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack
Voted against holding Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress
He has it in for Biden and anything Biden does. This is about destroying our president's legacy and not about public health and safety. I do not support this bill. We should be doing exactly what Biden has done, strengthen the WHO, because the next pandemic may be right around the corner.
Why would we even consider a bill from a known traitor to the US, who even now is trying to incite a civil war in defense of his cult leader?
Beyond that, if we withdraw from the WHO, we're just ceding more ground to China in influencing public health efforts throughout the globe. Is that really what we want?
We've already seen the results of ignoring and withdrawing from WHO under the Trump Administration when the US which represents 4%-5% of the global population had 15% of COVID deaths.
A WHO COVID test kit existed end of Jan, most countries had that test mid-Feb but by March the US had no test kits, and had to let every hospital, lab, university, etc develop its own kit with very results. Meanwhile COVID spread like wild fire with no way to detect and isolate. The only option was isolate everyone in shutdowns affecting the economy and the US still had the highest death rates in the world.
Leavng the WHO is like leaving NATO. We are not an island. We are a part of a global network and what impacts one part of the network, impacts other parts. If nothing else the pandemic should have taught us that we are impacted by many, many forces that are outside the US and we can't wall ourselves off from the world and think that we'll be safe. Furthermore, why the hell would we want to listen to an idiot Republican when the damn Republicans make up the majority of the anit-vaxxers, and spread all kinds of mis-information about COVID. We are a part of a global society, whether we like it or not and as such we have to be involved in that society.
So, this guy want to ensure people know he's an idiot, by put it in writing?
Somebody should've pointed out to him what a bad idea this was.
Since pandemics are world wide problems, we should remain in contact with the other peoples of the world to combact them.