"This Committee should be doing more to fight for those answers but, instead, has wasted significant time and taxpayer money fueling conspiracy theories and ignoring the importance of preparing for the..."
"America's adversaries, like China, Russia, and Iran, love it when Americans are divided and distracted."
"I regret that many of the conspiracies have smeared you, Dr. Fauci, as you and our top scientists did everything to keep Americans safe during the deadly days of COVID-19."
"Overall, this Congress' effort to examine the cause of the pandemic has brought more heat than light."
"Republicans in my committee refused to move consensus legislation forward."
"I hope that we can use today's hearing to learn how Congress can be a better partner to NIH."
"More people died in Florida from COVID-19 after a safe and effective vaccine was available, and, I believe, largely due to the state's disinformation campaign."
"Unfortunately, Energy and Commerce Republicans refused to work with us on this critical legislation."
"Instead, they doubled down on ideological partisanship and refused to work together on bipartisan solutions."
"We have not learned anything more about the origins of COVID-19, but we have learned a lot about NIH's diligent work."
"Sowing distrust in the scientific and medical communities is not a way to accomplish this goal."
"We should be holding today's witness accountable, of which we have bipartisan agreement, but this should not distract us from our ultimate goal: future pandemic preparedness."