Iowa Sen. Ernst introduces bill to ban federal funding for EcoHealth Alliance

"Giving taxpayer money to EcoHealth to study pandemic prevention is like paying a suspected arsonist to conduct fire safety inspections," Ernst said.

By Madeleine Hubbard

Published: October 3, 2022 6:20pm

Updated: October 3, 2022 7:34pm

Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst introduced a bill to ban federal funding for EcoHealth Alliance, Inc., the non-profit that gave taxpayer funds to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to study bat-based coronaviruses in China.

The bill states, "No funds authorized or appropriated by Federal law may be made available for any purpose to EcoHealth Alliance, Inc, including any subsidiaries and related organizations that are directly controlled by EcoHealth Alliance, Inc.," The Daily Caller reported on Friday.

EcoHealth's former vice president said in a sworn declaration last month that his organization "developed" COVID-19 through gain-of-function research that makes diseases more dangerous.

EcoHealth has previously been under fire for its use of taxpayer dollars. Earlier this year, the National Institutes of Health said the agency was noncompliant with eight parts of an agreement with the U.S. government.

"Giving taxpayer money to EcoHealth to study pandemic prevention is like paying a suspected arsonist to conduct fire safety inspections," Ernst said last week.