‘I’m Not Letting Anything Pass’: Rand Paul Vows To Hold Back Biden Nominees Until COVID Docs Released

Senator Rand Paul is refusing to let Joe Biden’s nominees go through until the administration releases data on the origins of the coronavirus. The Kentucky Republican senator made the announcement on Sunday, stating that he will hold up all nominations in the Senate until the White House shares information regarding the potential origins of COVID-19 from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Paul, who is a physician, argues that the U.S. government has funded gain-of-function research at that Chinese lab, which could have led to the outbreak. He criticized Dr. Fauci for not revealing this information earlier. Paul’s move may have significant consequences for the Biden administration’s ability to move its nominees forward, as the razor-thin Democratic majority in the Senate means the party needs every member it has to get past the filibuster. Rand Paul’s push for transparency on the origins of the pandemic highlights the ongoing debate around accountability and decisions surrounding U.S.-funded gain-of-function research. This controversy is all the more critical given the impact of the virus, which has wreaked havoc on healthcare systems, economies, and people’s daily lives globally, and has forever changed the course of history.