Biden Signs Bill to Declassify COVID-19 Origins Intel
AllSides Summary
President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan bill Monday directing the government to declassify as much intelligence as possible about the origins of COVID-19.
The Details: The legislation directs the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information about China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology, citing "potential links" between coronavirus research at the lab and the outbreak of COVID-19. The bill moved through Congress with strong bipartisan support; the House passed it unanimously.
Key Quote: "We need to get to the bottom of COVID-19's origins... including potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology," Biden said in a statement.
For Context: The lab leak theory regained steam last month after the Energy Department shifted its stance to think a Wuhan lab leak likely sparked the pandemic. The theory was dismissed as a conspiracy by many journalists and Democrats early in the pandemic. Some agencies, including the Director of National Intelligence, still believe natural animal-to-human transmission was more likely. Other intelligence groups, including the CIA, are undecided. Over the weekend, a group of international researchers unveiled evidence that the pandemic originated from a pack of raccoon dogs in Wuhan. China rejects the lab theory, and has obstructed investigations into COVID-19's origins.
How the Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum covered the signing prominently. Some right-rated sources focused more on how some media outlets prematurely discounted the lab leak theory.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Biden signs bill on COVID origins declassification
President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan bill Monday that directs the federal government to declassify as much intelligence as possible about the origins of COVID-19 more than three years after the start of the pandemic.
The legislation, which passed both the House and Senate without dissent, directs the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify intelligence related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology. It cites “potential links” between the research that was done there and the outbreak of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on...
From the Center
Biden declassifies intelligence on COVID origins
US President Joe Biden ratified a bill on Monday which requires the release of intelligence materials regarding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The intelligence is believed to point the finger at a Chinese laboratory based in Wuhan, where the virus is said to have first spread in late 2019.
The White House said the bill, passed by congress in March, requires Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to declassify information related to the origins of the pandemic. However, Biden vowed to be mindful of national security when deciding what to release.
Biden said he shared...
From the Right
Biden Signs Bill to Declassify Covid-Origins Intel
President Biden signed a bill on Monday that authorizes the federal government to declassify all available intelligence pertaining to the origins of Covid.
“My Administration will continue to review all classified information relating to COVID-19’s origins, including potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” Biden said in a statement.
“In implementing this legislation, my administration will declassify and share as much of that information as possible, consistent with my constitutional authority to protect against the disclosure of information that would harm national security,” Biden said.
The legislation, which received bipartisan...
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