No Taxpayer Dollars for Communist Chinese Covid Tests Act would ban public funds for Covid tests made in China
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Context
In September, the federal government announced a fifth round of free Covid tests, available to order online and shipped through the U.S. Postal Service. About 58 million tests were distributed, in addition to the 755 million tests distributed across the four prior rounds.
Some of these taxpayer-funded tests were either made in China or affiliated with China, the nation where the virus first emerged in late 2019. These include tests manufactured in China from iHealth Labs, which is headquartered in California but is actually a subsidiary of Chinese medical device company Andon Health.
What the legislation does
The No Taxpayer Dollars for Communist Chinese COVID Tests Act would do exactly what its name implies: ban public funds for Covid tests that are manufactured in China, imported from China, or made by an American subsidiary of a Chinese-owned company.
The House version was introduced on December 7 as H.R. 6668, by Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN1). The Senate version was introduced that same day as S. 3454, by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).
What supporters say
Supporters argue that taxpayer money to fight Covid shouldn’t benefit one of America’s top geopolitical rivals.
“There is absolutely no reason that this administration should be buying Covid tests made in Communist China instead of working with American manufacturers to support domestic production,” Sen. Scott said in a press release. “The Biden administration’s willingness to fund the Communist Chinese economy, instead of the American economy, is a disgrace.”
“Instead of investing in American jobs and manufacturing, Joe Biden has again betrayed Americans by sending their hard-earned tax dollars to the creators of Covid-19,” Rep. Harshbarger said in the same press release. “The Biden administration’s Covid-19 policies continue to fail our country, years after the pandemic has ended.”
(Though the virus clearly originated in China, evidence is mixed about whether Covid emerged naturally in the animal world or accidentally escaped from a laboratory — but there is zero evidence that China “created” Covid deliberately, as Rep. Harshbarger claims.)
What opponents say
In February 2022, Sen. Scott asked for unanimous consent on a prior version of his bill, but Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) rejected the request.
“America needs as much manufacturing capacity as possible as soon as possible here for antigen tests to meet our needs,” Sen. Wyden said on the Senate floor. “Unfortunately, we are not there yet.”
“The Scott bill would create a shortage of Covid tests,” Sen. Wyden continued. “So, in addition to voting against the bipartisan bill that really would have tackled the big issues dealing with China, my colleague has [made] an effort to create a shortage of tests. That would be a mistake. It would prolong an Omicron wave and put lives in danger. That just isn’t common sense.”
(Sen. Wyden references the United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021, also known as the COMPETES Act, which the Senate first passed by 68–32 and later passed in amended form by 68–28. Sen. Scott joined the majority of Senate Republicans in voting against both versions, criticizing its provisions as ineffective towards China and denouncing the bill’s policies on climate change.)
Odds of passage
Rep. Harshbarger introduced the legislation in the prior Congress. It attracted 25 Republican cosponsors, but never received a committee vote in the then-Democratic-controlled chamber.
The current House version has attracted a notably smaller seven cosponsors, all Republicans. It awaits a potential vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Sen. Scott also introduced the legislation in the prior Congress. It attracted one Republican cosponsor, but never received a committee vote in the Democratic-controlled chamber.
The current Senate version has attracted a slightly larger three cosponsors, all Republicans. It awaits a potential vote in the Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) Committee.
Odds of passage are low in the Democratic-controlled chamber.
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This article was written by GovTrack Insider staff writer Jesse Rifkin.
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