The US House of Representatives has voted unanimously to pass a bill that would direct the federal government to declassify all information related to the genesis of the Covid-19 pandemic, sending the measure to President Joe Biden’s desk.
The legislation cleared the House on Friday, with 204 Democrats joining 215 Republicans in a 419-0 vote. The Senate’s version of the same bill, introduced by Republican Josh Hawley of Missouri, was also passed with no opposition last week.
If enacted into law, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence would be required to submit a declassified report to Congress within three months. However, while the White House has declared that President Biden is determined to “get to the bottom” of the global health crisis, officials have also stressed the need to protect classified information. Biden recently told reporters he had not decided whether to sign the bill, leaving its fate unclear.