OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 10:11 AM PT – Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Representative Brett Guthrie has introduced a bill to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) introduced the “Pandemic is Over Act” to the House Floor in hopes of ending the health emergency that has been in effect for about three years now.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is over,” Guthrie said in a statement. “Despite President Biden admitting this in September, his administration just authorized the 12th extension of the COVID-19 public health emergency.”
Guthrie has received support for his bill most notably from Congressmen Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) and Greg Pence (R-Ind.).
The republican said that ending the nationwide health emergency is long overdue. He said he hopes that his bill will force the Biden administration to bring the COVID-19 public health emergency to an end.
The emergency declaration was issued in January 2020 and has been repeatedly extended since then. The Department of Health and Human Services has stated that they will notify the public 60 days in advance of the day they choose to lift the declaration.
Officials within the Biden administration are reportedly considering ending the Declaration around spring, but no solid timeline has been given so far.
Republicans have criticized the Biden administration repeatedly for extending the COVID-19 emergency declaration, saying that there is no justification to keep it in place anymore.
The bill is presented days after Human and Health Services has extended the emergency declaration yet again for another 90 days on January 11th.