Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, is pushing legislation to hold China responsible for causing the COVID-19 global pandemic.
The bill, Hawley said Tuesday, would remove China’s sovereign immunity and establish a private right of action against the Communist Party for reckless actions, such as silencing whistleblowers and holding back key information related to COVID-19.
Multiple Chinese reports have shown several doctors and officials disappeared after attempting to warn others about the origins and the spread of the coronavirus.
By taking away the Chinese government’s sovereign immunity for these actions so plaintiffs can file lawsuits, it would allow courts to freeze Beijing’s assets so victims can enforce their claims, Hawley said.
“There is overwhelming evidence that the Chinese Communist Party’s lies, deceit, and incompetence caused COVID-19 to transform from a local disease outbreak into a global pandemic,” Hawley said in a statement.
Similar bills targeting China have been filed recently, including Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton’s Li Wenliang Global Public Health Accountability Act and the bipartisan Medical Supply Chain Security Act.
