This is big. The Energy and Commerce Committee just uncovered that HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra failed to follow the Constitution and the law to reappoint top NIH officials – including Dr. Fauci – when their terms expired in December 2021. 

As a result, fourteen officials held unlawful positions and exercised authority they didn’t have to approve $26 BILLION in grants. This is an egregious abuse of power and misuse of taxpayer dollars.

How was Dr. Fauci – the highest paid federal employee – allowed to serve unlawfully until his retirement? How was he allowed to award a new grant to EcoHealth Alliance despite scrutiny of risky research it facilitated in China?

These are questions that must be answered. For more than a year, the Biden administration misled our committee and refused to give us the information the American people deserved. Now we know why. They weren’t telling the truth.

I sat down with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino on America’s Newsroom yesterday to discuss our groundbreaking findings. You can watch the full interview here:

Dr. Fauci was in a position, along with 13 other @NIH officials, making decisions over $26 billion of grants without a lawful appointment.

They have not been accountable to Congress or the American people. We're continuing to demand that @SecBecerra answer our questions. WATCH: pic.twitter.com/l5UEUGjLxX

— CathyMcMorrisRodgers (@cathymcmorris) July 11, 2023

As we consider next steps, you should know I’m already leading Energy and Commerce Republicans in taking action to hold Secretary Becerra accountable for this unprecedented failure to follow the law.

.@SecBecerra has failed to follow the Constitution and the law.

14 @NIH officials, including Dr. Fauci, held unlawful positions and exercised authority they didn’t have, which included approving $26 BILLION in grants.

This is unprecedented. pic.twitter.com/z8RcVZJ5Yz

— CathyMcMorrisRodgers (@cathymcmorris) July 11, 2023

We are united and committed to getting to the bottom of this. Earlier this week, we sent a letter to the secretary demanding answers to the questions we all have. You can read our letter here.