TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Two GOP senators introduced legislation to Congress for counteracting the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) censorship and cover-ups throughout the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and holding the country responsible for the worldwide devastation.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) announced his intention to introduce the "Ending Chinese Medical Censorship and Cover Ups Act of 2020" on Tuesday (April 14), a law to sanction the Chinese officials involved in the information suppression that fueled the global pandemic.
According to the senator, the CCP deliberately silenced those who tried to sound the alarm and provide the world with medical information when the outbreak was burgeoning in Wuhan. He considers China's information suppression no longer just a threat to human rights in China, but a direct menace to U.S. national security and economic well-being.
The bill will impose sanctions on Chinese officials who engage in censorship and those who penalize Chinese citizens for sharing accurate epidemiological information online.
On the same day, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) also announced the introduction of the "Justice for Victims of COVID-19 Act," which will create a private right to legal action against the CCP for silencing whistleblowers and withholding critical information about COVID-19.
The Act will create a Justice for Victims of COVID-19 Task Force at the State Department to lead an international investigation into Beijing’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak and to secure legitimate compensation. The team will prepare options to compel Bejing to provide compensation for losses suffered amid the pandemic.
"There is overwhelming evidence that the CCP's lies, deceit, and incompetence caused COVID-19 to transform from a local disease outbreak into a global pandemic," said Hawley.
