Press Release: Joint Governors’ Response to Proposed Amendments to the WHO’s IHR and a New Pandemic Treaty

The following press release was sent out by the Republican Governors Association. Press releases do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of those at the Idaho Dispatch.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today 24 Republican governors joined together, writing a letter to President Biden to state their united opposition to two proposals currently under negotiation that would grant the World Health Organization (WHO) unprecedented and unconstitutional powers over the United States and its people.

The governors state that,

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“If adopted, these agreements would seek to elevate the WHO from an advisory body to a global authority in public health. Under the proposed amendments and treaty, the WHO’s Director- General would supposedly gain unilateral power to declare a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ (PHEIC) in member nations, extending beyond pandemics to include a range of perceived emergencies.”

The governors continued,

“…these proposals could erode state sovereignty by granting the WHO’s Director- General the authority to dictate responses to a declared PHEIC, stripping elected representatives of their role in setting public health policies and compelling citizens to comply with WHO directives, potentially including mandates regarding medical treatments.”

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Notably, the most recent draft of the Pandemic Treaty would strip provisions that would allow for the WHO to have immediate access to outbreak sites through rapid response and expert teams, weaken intellectual property rights, and allow the WHO to use the treaty to call for parties to combat false, misleading, misinformation, or disinformation through effective international collaboration and cooperation.

Read the full letter here.

Signatories include: Governor Kay Ivey (AL), Governor Mike Dunleavy (AK), Governor Sarah Sanders (AR), Governor Ron DeSantis (FL), Governor Brian Kemp (GA), Governor Brad Little (ID), Governor Eric Holcomb (IN), Governor Kim Reynolds (IA), Governor Jeff Landry (LA), Governor Tate Reeves (MS), Governor Greg Gianforte (MT), Governor Jim Pillen (NE), Governor Joe Lombardo (NV), Governor Chris Sununu (NH), Governor Doug Burgum (ND), Governor Kevin Stitt (OK), Governor Henry McMaster (SC), Governor Kristi Noem (SD), Governor Bill Lee (TN), Governor Greg Abbott (TX), Governor Spencer Cox (UT), Governor Glenn Youngkin (VA), Governor Jim Justice (WV), and Governor Mark Gordon (WY).