Congressman Ben Cline Questions USDA Secretary on Wuhan Lab Funding and Bird Flu Research

Oversight of Taxpayer Funds

• 💰 The Congressman emphasizes the Secretary's responsibility to pause funds if wasteful or fraudulent spending is identified.
• ✅ The Secretary affirms that all decisions are made in the interest of the taxpayer, farmer, and rancher.
• 🇺🇸 A mandate to realign the government around "putting Americans first" is highlighted as a guiding principle.

Impact of Avian Influenza and Blackhead Disease

• 🐦 The turkey industry, particularly in the Shenandoah Valley, has been severely impacted by avian flu and blackhead disease.
• 🔬 Support for USDA research to understand and control blackhead disease in turkeys is urged.
• 📉 The Secretary acknowledges the devastating losses and the need for better mitigation strategies for avian flu.

Concerns Regarding Wuhan Institute Collaboration

• 🔬 A past collaboration between USDA's research service and the Wuhan Institute of Virology's parent organization, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is questioned.
• 🧬 The research involved manipulating bird flu viruses using gain of function techniques to assess potential human infection.
• 🚫 The Congressman presses for a commitment to discontinue funding for this project and other research with Chinese labs.
• ✅ The Secretary states that such funding has been discontinued in recent months and commits to ensuring it remains so.