UPDATE: Congressman Michael Guest (MS-03) joined fellow Republicans to introduce legislation that urges all nations to permanently close live wildlife markets, a type of “wet market,” and calls on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to cease spreading disinformation regarding the origins of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
“The operation of live wildlife markets has been directly responsible for multiple infectious disease outbreaks across the planet, and it is widely believed to be linked to the novel coronavirus that over 200 countries and territories are currently combatting,”
These wildlife markets clearly pose a threat to the wellbeing of nations everywhere, and the United States Congress will continue to put pressure on Chinese government officials to close wildlife and wet markets, accept responsibility for the introduction of COVID-19 to the planet, and cease their attempts to cover up their mistakes.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) introduced H.Res. 922 with fellow Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Reps. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Ted Yoho (R-Fla.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) and Michael Guest (R- Miss.). This legislation urges all nations to permanently close live wildlife markets, a type of “wet market”, and calls on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to cease spreading disinformation regarding the origins of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
“An unsanitary live wildlife market in Wuhan, China, launched the Coronavirus pandemic.” Congressman Steve Chabot said. “That is why I introduced the Live Wildlife Market Resolution to call attention to the threats posed by these markets and by animal-to-human disease transmission to the health of all nations. The legislation also shines a light on the gross inhumanity animals suffer at these markets. Clarifying these links will help us to better understand and prevent future pandemics together. Further, facts matter, and the CCP’s deliberate obfuscation of the origin of COVID-19 matters. We cannot meaningfully call for the closure of live wildlife markets unless we are first willing to fight through the wall of CCP disinformation to affirm the basic fact that such a market (in addition to CCP incompetence) launched the Coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, the CCP’s information warfare cannot be separated from this public health and animal welfare crisis.”
“China’s efforts to conceal this origin of the coronavirus should not be tolerated, it is important that China immediately close live wildlife markets,” Congressman Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) said. “These markets have exposed the people of China to life threatening disease, putting the citizens of China and families across the world of 210 nations and territories at risk.”
“As a large animal veterinarian for over 30 years, it is not uncommon for diseases to originate in animals and make the jump to humans,” Congressman Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) said. “In fact, 6-7 out of 10 zoonotic diseases humans contract originate in the animal world. It is important that we not only remain vigilant in monitoring new diseases, but we take every precaution to stop zoonotic outbreaks. Closing live animal markets is a vital commonsense step in preventing future pandemics. These markets operate without any kind of a USDA type of inspections that check for disease(s) before the meat reaches the consumer. By taking away these markets, and raising safety standards, we will drastically curtail a diseases ability to jump from animals to humans.”
“The outbreak of COVID-19 is harming our families, our communities, and our Nation,” Congressman Scott Perry (R-Pa.) said. “We’re working diligently to defeat COVID-19, but also must focus on preventing future outbreaks. For decades, our scientific community has warned about the public health threat posed by wildlife markets due to their close quarters and unhygienic conditions. We witnessed the human suffering caused by the 2002 SARS outbreak, and today COVID-19 has claimed over 125,000 lives worldwide. I thank Rep. Chabot for his leadership on this issue and I’m proud to join to the effort to end all wildlife markets.”
“Live wildlife markets have been known to pose significant public health risks for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the world the deadly consequences of inaction,” Congressman Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) said. “Despite the SARS outbreak in 2002, the Chinese Communist Party allowed restrictions on wildlife trade to lapse, and now they are spreading disinformation in an attempt to shift blame for the COVID-19 outbreak. All nations must come together to condemn and ban these markets so we can prevent future outbreaks of deadly infectious diseases.”
“The operation of live wildlife markets has been directly responsible for multiple infectious disease outbreaks across the planet, and it is widely believed to be linked to the novel coronavirus that over 200 countries and territories are currently combatting,” Congressman Michael Guest (R- Miss.) said. “This disease, which has taken the lives of over 100,000 people, spread from a wildlife market in Wuhan, China, to every inhabited continent on the globe. These wildlife markets clearly pose a threat to the wellbeing of nations everywhere, and the United States Congress will continue to put pressure on Chinese government officials to close wildlife and wet markets, accept responsibility for the introduction of COVID-19 to the planet, and cease their attempts to cover up their mistakes.”
“We applaud Rep. Steve Chabot for his tremendous work to shutter the ghastly wet markets that continue to serve as incubators for plagues like Covid—19,” Marty Irby, Executive Director at Animal Wellness Action said. “The pandemic we are faced with today has clearly proven that live animal markets filled with bats, pangolins, and other exotic creatures must be eradicated not only for the well-being of animals, but for the safety and security of the human race and world economy.”
The Live Wildlife Market Resolution:
