The US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee launched an investigation yesterday into President Donald Trump's decision to withhold funding from the World Health Organization and gave the State Department a week to provide information about the decision as the world faces the Corona Virus pandemic.
In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Democratic Rep. Elliot Angel, chair of the committee, said the United Nations' health organization was "experiencing shortcomings" and that he would support reforms. "But surely cutting off funding to the World Health Organization while the world faces the tragedy of Covid 19 is not the answer," he added.
In his letter, Angel demanded that the US State Department provide 11 sets of documents or information related to the decision to cut funding no later than 5 pm on May 4.
If this does not happen, Angel said, the commission will consider all measures available to it. A spokesman declined to provide specifics. And Angel, as chair of the commission, has the power to issue subpoenas to federal agencies.
The materials requested include a list of inter-agency meetings held between December 1 and April 14 during which the issue of funding for the organization was discussed, a list of legal authorities under which the administration will implement the moratorium on funding, and documents relevant to the administration's investigation of the World Health Organization.
Trump decided to suspend US contributions to the World Health Organization on April 14, accusing it of "pivoting China and promoting China's misinformation" about the outbreak of the Corona virus and said his administration would begin a review of the organization.