The Shadow
WASHINGTON, D.C. ((VR) – On March 5, 2025, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and U.S. Congressman Morgan
Griffith (R-VA) introduced a pair of measures to rein in the federal health bureaucracy and
restore trust in public health agencies.
The lawmakers introduced the Risky Research Review Act, which establishes an independent
review board that oversees high-risk life sciences research proposals submitted by entities
seeking federal funding. This body will effectively monitor, keep track of and approve or decline
submitted proposals. The board must also submit reports and make them widely available to
Congress and the public.
“We must demand accountability for the grave oversights that were revealed by the
COVID-19 pandemic. The safety of our nation and the trust in its institutions depend on
it. My bill not only strengthens transparency but also ensures that public health
decisions are made in the best interest of the American people, free from financial
motives and prioritizing national security,” said Dr. Paul.
“Gain-of-function research is reported to be a potential target of a future President
Trump Executive Order,” said Representative Griffith. “As someone who has extensively
investigated COVID-19 origins and biosafety concerns in foreign labs, it is clear to me
that greater oversight measures are needed to review gain-of-function research of
concern and risky experiments that involve virus transmission in humans. The National
Institutes of Health has proven they are not capable of properly reviewing risky research
applications, as in the case of EcoHealth Alliance. I believe the Risky Research Review
Act establishes crucial oversight measures to alleviate the legitimate and significant
concerns of the American people, thus reestablishing trust in our public health
agencies.”
Additionally, the legislators introduced the Royalty Transparency Act, a bill that requires officers
and employees in the executive branch to file financial disclosure reports and report the details of
royalty payments they receive. The bill mandates this information be made publicly accessible.
“Distrust in public health officials is at an all-time high. One way to restore trust is to
make sure that public policy isn’t influenced by personal gain,” said Dr. Paul.
“The Royalty Transparency Act will allow more information to be seen by the public to
ensure federal decision makers, and the policies they write, aren’t being influenced by
the royalty payments they receive.”
“For too long, federal bureaucrats concealed the royalties they received, who they were
paid by what they were compensated for and how much they were paid,” said
Representative Griffith. “As the Trump Administration ushers in a new era of
transparency in our federal government, the Royalty Transparency Act will foster greater
government transparency and accountability by requiring government officials in federal
agencies to disclose the royalties that they receive as a result of their government
service. I am excited to work with Senator Paul so we can shine a light on these
royalties and hold federal bureaucrats to a greater standard of accountability.”
BACKGROUND
In the 118 th Congress, Rep. Griffith chaired the House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations.
Rep. Griffith chaired hearings on various issues, including but not limited to topics of biosafety
and risky research.
Rep. Griffith was the lead Energy and Commerce Member in numerous forums with public
health officials that were in various leadership positions during the outbreak of COVID-19,
including working closely with the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.
During this time, Chairman Griffith participated in closed-door transcribed interviews
questioning former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr.
Anthony Fauci and questioning former NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins.
Rep. Griffith was also a key figure in examining EcoHealth Alliance President Dr. Peter Daszak.
EcoHealth is the company that received grants from NIAID which in turn gave subgrants to the
Wuhan Institute of Virology to conduct research on Coronavirus evolution and transmission.
Because of questions asked by Rep. Griffith related to significant inconsistencies and delays in
required reports, among others, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently
announced that Dr. Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance would be debarred for five years, cutting
them off from U.S. federal funding.
In January of 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump was considering an
Executive Order to halt federal funding to gain-of-function research. In response, Rep. Griffith
called on President Trump to scrutinize the country’s national gain-of-function research policy.
Some of Rep. Griffith’s e-newsletters on these topics can be found here and here.
Full text of the Risky Research Act can be found here.
Also, in the 118th Congress, Rep. Griffith introduced the Royalty Transparency Act.
One instance of concern with federal bureaucrat royalty payments stems from Dr. Fauci, who at
one time earned the title of highest-paid federal government employee. In 2022, he received
$481,000, more than the president of the U.S. who receives $400,000.
Also Dr. Fauci was set to receive the largest federal retirement package in history, with a
reported first-year pension payout of $414,000.
Additionally, Dr. Fauci and his wife, Dr. Christine Grady, saw their net worth increase from
around $7.6 million in 2019 to $11.5 million in late 2022.
Text of the Royalty Transparency Act can be found here.
