Joco Today

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., has introduced a resolution urging an immediate vote on his legislation, the Gain-of-Function Research Moratorium Act. The bill seeks to halt gain-of-function (GOF) research, citing concerns that the Covid-19 virus likely resulted from such research funded by the U.S. government and conducted in Wuhan, China.

Senator Marshall emphasized the need for transparency and accountability from the federal government regarding the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. He argued that all current and future GOF research should be stopped immediately due to safety concerns. "There are over 1 million reasons why we must stop the deadly gain-of-function research, and that’s the 1.1 million Americans who died of Covid-19," Senator Marshall stated. "History has taught us that viruses have escaped even the most secure labs conducting gain-of-function research. Until the oversight process is reformed and adequate guidelines are in place to protect us from dangerous outbreaks, we must put an immediate moratorium on this research."

The resolution represents a step towards having the Senate consider and pass the Gain-of-Function Moratorium Act.

Senator Marshall first introduced this legislation in January 2023 as a response to congressional inquiries and investigations revealing national security concerns about NIH-authorized research potentially contributing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gain-of-function research aims to increase infectious agents' ability to cause disease by enhancing their pathogenicity or transmissibility. In 2014, the Obama Administration ordered a pause on all gain-of-function research due to increased leaks and spills of infectious material from laboratories receiving government funding. Despite this pause, NIH allowed GOF research to continue through grants disbursed to EcoHealth Alliance.

For more information on Senator Marshall’s oversight efforts regarding GOF research, additional details can be found in his full resolution.

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