Senate Republicans demand action after Energy Department backs COVID 'lab leak' theory

Senate Republicans demanded transparency and accountability in response to reports that the U.S. Energy Department concluded COVID-19 most likely originated from a Chinese lab leak.

The reports, published by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times on Sunday, revealed that new classified intelligence had prompted the department to join the FBI in concluding that the COVID-19 pandemic was caused by a lab leak in Wuhan, China. The department, which was previously undecided on the issue, had made the determination with "low confidence," according to both reports.

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) called for "extensive" public hearings into COVID's origins in Congress during an appearance Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press, citing China's efforts to "shut people up" when first-world nations questioned how the pandemic began.

"I think we need to do extensive hearings. I hope our Democratic colleagues in the Congress can support that. I know the Republicans in the House are certainly supportive of that," Sullivan told anchor Chuck Todd. "Look, this is a country that has no problem coming out and lying to the world. We just saw that with this Chinese spy balloon. It's the nature of a Communist dictatorship to lie to their own people, to lie to the world. But I think that we need to make sure every country knows that and then look at what the consequences could be.