Chair Rodgers: HHS's OIG Report Confirms our Concerns with NIH's Funding of EcoHealth Alliance

Press Release

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) issued the following statement regarding the release of a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) report titled: "The National Institutes of Health and EcoHealth Alliance Did Not Effectively Monitor Awards and Subawards, Resulting in Missed Opportunities to Oversee Research and Other Deficiencies."

"The American people have a right to know what types of potentially risky research their tax dollars are funding. This OIG Report reaffirms many issues Energy and Commerce Republicans have continued to raise with NIH's negligence in holding EcoHealth Alliance accountable to the terms of grant agreements. Furthermore, the report raises even more questions from the Committee about the apparent special treatment given to EcoHealth Alliance.

"The Energy and Commerce Committee will build off the information in this report as we continue our investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and our oversight of our public health agencies. We must shine a light on any government failures and improper actions in order to correct course moving forward and restore public trust."

Chair Rodgers, along with Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Health Subcommittee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), wrote to NIH on October 24, 2022, regarding the resumption of NIH funding to EcoHealth Alliance.

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