United States House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic

Last updated

The United States House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, formerly the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, is a bipartisan United States House of Representatives select subcommittee that was created to provide congressional oversight of the Trump administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The Select Subcommittee was established under H.Res.935 during the 116th Congress. [1] Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on April 2, 2020, that the committee would oversee the $2.2 trillion economic stimulus/rescue legislation (the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) enacted by Congress. The Act created a $500 billion bailout fund for U.S. industry and is the largest economic emergency legislation in U.S. history. [2] [3] [4] It was established as a special investigatory subcommittee under the House Oversight Committee. [5]

Contents

Pelosi stated in her announcement that the committee would be chaired by House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, aided by a staff of experts, and it would have subpoena power [4] and a $2,000,000 budget. [6] Pelosi charged the committee with preventing waste, profiteering, [7] and price gouging, and seeking to ensure that responses to the pandemic are based on science. [2] She described the committee as a mechanism for an after-action review. [4]

The committee's mandate is analogous to that of the Truman Committee in the 1940s, which investigated waste and fraud in defense spending. [2]

On April 23, 2020, the House officially voted 212–182 along party lines, to approve the committee's creation. [8]

After Republicans gained a majority of the House of Representatives at the start of the 118th Congress, the House voted to continue the committee, now dubbed Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, was approved as part of the House's rules package on January 9, 2023, by a 220–213 vote. The purpose of the committee was changed to investigate the origins of COVID-19, gain-of-function research, coronavirus-related government spending, and mask and vaccine mandates. [9]

On January 24, 2023, Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced that the subcommittee would be chaired by Representative Brad Wenstrup. [10]

During the committee's first hearing on March 8, Republican Jim Jordan alleged that Anthony Fauci had steered a $9 million grant to two scientists in exchange for them changing their position that the virus had originated in a lab to originating naturally. [11]

The committee released its final report on December 2, 2024. In the 520-page report, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic concludes that the coronavirus “most likely emerged from a laboratory in Wuhan, China,” citing factors like biological characteristics of the virus and illnesses among researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in fall 2019. [12] [ non-primary source needed ]

It also concludes that social distancing, lockdowns, mask and vaccine mandates were not based on science and that "public health officials often spread misinformation" (source: https://oversight.house.gov/release/final-report-covid-select-concludes-2-year-investigation-issues-500-page-final-report-on-lessons-learned-and-the-path-forward/).

Members, 118th Congress

MajorityMinority
Ex officio

Historical membership rosters

117th Congress

Members from the 117th Congress
MajorityMinority

See also

Related Research Articles

In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for consideration by their respective chambers. They also have oversight responsibility to monitor agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdictions, and in some cases in areas that cut across committee jurisdictions. Due to their permanent nature, these committees exist beyond the adjournment of each two-year meeting of Congress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bennie Thompson</span> American politician (born 1948)

Bennie Gordon Thompson is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Mississippi's 2nd congressional district since 1993. A member of the Democratic Party, Thompson served as the chair of the Committee on Homeland Security from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2023. He was both the first Democrat and the first African American to chair the committee. Since 2011, he has been the only Democrat in Mississippi's congressional delegation, and since 2018 he has been the dean of the delegation after Thad Cochran left Congress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Jordan</span> American politician (born 1964)

James Daniel Jordan is an American politician currently serving in his ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives as the representative for Ohio's 4th congressional district since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States House Committee on Homeland Security</span> Standing committee of the United States House of Representatives

The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Its responsibilities include U.S. security legislation and oversight of the Department of Homeland Security.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability</span> Standing committee of the United States House of Representatives

The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the main investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. The committee's broad jurisdiction and legislative authority make it one of the most influential and powerful panels in the House. Its chair is one of only three in the House with the authority to issue subpoenas without a committee vote or consultation with the ranking member. However, in recent history, it has become practice to refrain from unilateral subpoenas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenniffer González-Colón</span> Governor of Puerto Rico since 2025

Jenniffer Aydin González Colón is a Puerto Rican politician who is currently serving as the 190th governor of Puerto Rico since 2025. She previously served as the 20th resident commissioner of Puerto Rico from 2017 to 2025. González-Colón has also held leadership positions in the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico (PNP) and the Republican Party of the United States, including being chair of the Puerto Rico Republican Party, speaker and minority leader of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, and vice-chair of the PNP. She is the second elected and third serving female governor, after Sila María Calderón and Wanda Vázquez Garced, and she is also the first and only woman to be elected or serve as Resident Commissioner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French Hill (politician)</span> American politician (born 1956)

James French Hill is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Arkansas's 2nd congressional district since 2015. He is a member of the Republican Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stacey Plaskett</span> American politician (born 1966)

Stacey Elizabeth Plaskett is an American politician and attorney serving since 2015 as the non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the United States Virgin Islands' at-large congressional district. Plaskett has practiced law in New York City, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raja Krishnamoorthi</span> American lawyer and politician (born 1973)

Subramanian Raja Krishnamoorthi is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 8th congressional district since 2017. The district includes many of Chicago's western and northwestern suburbs, such as Hoffman Estates, Elgin, Schaumburg, Wood Dale, and Elk Grove Village. A member of the Democratic Party, Krishnamoorthi serves as the Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Cloud</span> American politician (born 1975)

Michael Jonathan Cloud is an American politician representing Texas's 27th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2018. He is a member of the Republican Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abigail Spanberger</span> American politician (born 1979)

Abigail Anne Davis Spanberger is an American politician and former intelligence officer who served as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district from 2019 to 2025. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Cunningham (American politician)</span> American politician (born 1982)

Joseph Kendrick Cunningham is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for South Carolina's 1st congressional district from 2019 to 2021. The district includes much of South Carolina's share of the Atlantic Coast, from Charleston to Hilton Head Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheryl Johnson</span> American government official (born 1960)

Cheryl Lynn Johnson is an American government official who served as the 36th Clerk of the United States House of Representatives from February 26, 2019, to June 30, 2023. Between January 3, 2023, and January 7, 2023, Johnson served as the acting presiding officer of the House while the election of a speaker for the 118th United States Congress was deadlocked until Kevin McCarthy was elected after 15 ballots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020</span> Act of the US Congress enacted on March 6, 2020

The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 is an act of Congress enacted on March 6, 2020. The legislation provided emergency supplemental appropriations of $8.3 billion in fiscal year 2020 to combat the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and counter the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The legislation passed the House 415–2 on March 4 and the Senate 96–1 on March 5, 2020. The legislation received broad bipartisan support.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Families First Coronavirus Response Act</span> 2020 US federal law, "Phase 2" of pandemic relief

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act is an Act of Congress meant to respond to the economic impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The act provides funding for free coronavirus testing, 14-day paid leave for American workers affected by the pandemic, and increased funding for food stamps.

The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) is an independent oversight committee within the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 to ensure that the $2.2 trillion of the CARES act, plus 5 other pandemic-related pieces of legislation totaling over $5 trillion in government funds, were not misspent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery</span> United States government oversight body

The Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR) is an Inspector General position created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 to oversee spending of government funds in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The position was included at the insistence of congressional Democrats. The SIGPR is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The COVID-19 Congressional Oversight Commission (COC) is an oversight body in the United States created by the CARES Act. They will report to Congress every 30 days on how the Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board manage the funds until September 30, 2025. These reports will assess:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impeachment inquiry in the United States</span>

In the United States, an impeachment inquiry is an investigation or inquiry which usually occurs before a potential impeachment vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party</span> Current US House of Representatives committee

The United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party is a committee of the United States House of Representatives established in the 118th Congress. The committee focuses on American economic and security competition with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the ruling party which has a monopoly over governance of the People's Republic of China. The committee is chaired by Representative John Moolenaar of Michigan.

References

  1. ↑ "H.Res.935 – 116th Congress (2019–2020): Establishing a Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis as a select investigative subcommittee of the Committee on Oversight and Reform". April 23, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Billy House & Erik Wasson, Pelosi Announces Bipartisan House Committee on Coronavirus, Bloomberg (April 2, 2020).
  3. ↑ Erica Werner & Paul Kane, Pelosi announces new select committee to oversee coronavirus response, Washington Post (April 2, 2020).
  4. 1 2 3 Clare Foran, Haley Byrd & Manu Raju, Pelosi announces House committee on coronavirus crisis to exercise oversight of pandemic response, CNN (April 2, 2020).
  5. ↑ Perano, Ursula (April 23, 2020). "House passes resolution creating coronavirus oversight committee". Axios . Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  6. ↑ McGovern, James P. (April 23, 2020). "Text – H.Res.935 – 116th Congress (2019–2020): Establishing a Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis as a select investigative subcommittee of the Committee on Oversight and Reform". United States Congress. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  7. ↑ House Speaker Weekly Briefing via Conference Call, C-SPAN (April 2, 2020).
  8. ↑ Zilbermints, Regina (April 23, 2020). "House votes to create select committee to oversee coronavirus response". The Hill . Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  9. ↑ Owermohle, Sarah (January 10, 2023). "Still fuming over the federal Covid response, Republicans redirect the House coronavirus committee". STAT. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  10. ↑ Carney, Jordain (January 24, 2023). "McCarthy taps GOP members to investigate Covid policies". Politico . Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  11. ↑ Yandell, Kate (March 17, 2023). "No Evidence Scientists Received Grant for Changing Opinion on Pandemic Origins, Contrary to Claims". FactCheck.org.
  12. ↑ Dillinger, Katherine (December 2, 2024). "House Covid-19 panel releases final report criticizing public health response to the pandemic". CNN. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.