On Monday, President Biden signed a bill directing the federal government to declassify intelligence about the origins of COVID-19. Allowing the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to declassify intelligence, related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology, the bipartisan legislation, will allow research at the facility regarding the outbreak.
Biden said in a statement-
"My Administration will continue to review all classified information relating to COVID–19’s origins, including potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology," "In implementing this legislation, my Administration will declassify and share as much of that information as possible, consistent with my constitutional authority to protect against the disclosure of information that would harm national security."
-President Joe Biden
Over whether a lab leak or a spillover from animals is the likely source of the deadly COVID-19 virus, U.S. intelligence agencies have been divided in their opinions. Experts say the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1.1 million in the U.S. and millions more around the globe, may not be known for many years, if ever.
Reportedly, Chairman Mike Gallagher of the newly-formed House Select Committee on China, said in an earlier statement –
"It’s been three years since COVID-19 upended our lives, and we’re still asking basic questions about the origins of this virus. That’s unacceptable.”… "The question of how this pandemic began is the most important question in the world, and we should not continue to waste precious time waiting for the Chinese Communist Party to suddenly cooperate with U.S. officials and open up access to the Wuhan Institute of Virology," adding "It’s time for Congress to act and force the administration to declassify the relevant intelligence surrounding the pandemic."
-Chairman Mike Gallagher, (R) Wis.
While the CIA and another unnamed agency are undecided, the National Intelligence Council and four other agencies assess at "low confidence" that the COVID-19 pandemic originated due to natural transmission from an infected animal.
Obviously, the search continues, while millions around the globe, have lost their battle to this virus. That relevant intelligence may be afforded those who are investigating this matter, may prove valuable. Hopefully Biden, with his “constitutional authority to protect against the disclosure of information” will not successfully stonewall the efforts to discover the truth, and wherever possible, bring those who may be responsible to justice.
“The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them”.
-Lois McMaster Bujold