Joni Ernst urges Biden Administration to officially confirm ban on EcoHealth Alliance

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is urging the Biden administration to confirm that no more taxpayer money will be given to EcoHealth Alliance due to its ties to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The Department of Health and Human Services has announced that EcoHealth Alliance will be banned from accessing federal funds following an investigation which found that the group “lacks present responsibility to participate in government programs.”

Ernst has sent letters to the NIH, NSF, DoD, and USAID, demanding confirmation of the suspension of funding to EcoHealth Alliance and a list of funding sources. She also wants assurance of access to project data and the prevention of leaks of potentially dangerous pathogens collected or created by EcoHealth Alliance.

Ernst has previously requested that NIH and NSF stop funding EcoHealth Alliance and has introduced legislation to prevent further taxpayer funds from going to the group.

In her letters, Ernst emphasized the importance of obtaining research data from EcoHealth Alliance and preventing any leaks of pathogens to avoid a situation like the one in Wuhan from happening again.