Tennessee House Passes Resolution Calling For U.S. Lawmakers To Stop Taxpayer Funding Of World Health Organization

Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

A resolution calling for Tennessee’s U.S. lawmakers to take steps towards stopping the taxpayer funding of the World Health Organization (WHO) passed by a 71-23 vote in the House of Representatives on Monday. 

House Joint Resolution 820 (HJR0820) as introduced, “Opposes expansion of World Health Organization’s authority and supports ending U.S. government funding of the organization.”

The resolution establishes among other things that the WHO has “proven itself to be a corrupt organization,” “has a history of mismanagement and scandals, including the Ebola viral outbreak,” and is “an opaque organization unaccountable to the United States government, despite receiving between $200 and $600 million annually in U.S. taxpayer subsidies over the past decade.”

It also acknowledges that the WHO “has chosen to place in positions of leadership on its Executive Board representatives of such extreme authoritarian regimes as the People’s Republic of China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Belarus, in complete disregard of the human rights abuses regularly committed by these regimes.”

This resolution also dictates that WHO officials were complicit with the Chinese government in “preventing international understanding of the virus and its effects” in the beginning stages of Covid-19, as well as in “covering up the virus’s origins.”

HJR0820 is sponsored by Rep. Ron Travis (R-Dayton-District 31) and co-sponsored by Representatives Dennis Powers (R-Jacksboro-District 36), Bryan Richey (R-Maryville-District 20) and Susan Lynn (R-Mount Juliet-District 57).

“This is a resolution that calls for the elected U.S. Representatives and Senators representing the State of Tennessee to take all steps necessary to, and reasonable to, end taxpayers’ funding of the World Health Organization,” Rep. Travis stated on the House floor. “This resolution further urges the President of the United States to reject the creation of any policy, law, convention, or regulation whether through amendments to the international health regulations or otherwise.”

Without any further discussion, HJR0820 passed in the House with a 71-23 vote on Monday, April 15^th, 2024. It will now be sent over to the Senate for a vote.

Voting in favor of this resolution were Republican Representatives Alexander, Barrett, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Bulso, Burkhart, Butler, Capley, Carr, Carringer, Cepicky, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Davis, Doggett, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Fritts, Gant, Garrett, Grills, Hale, Haston, Hawk, Helton-Haynes, Hicks G, Hicks T, Hill, Holsclaw, Howell, Hulsey, Hurt, Johnson C, Keisling, Kumar, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Lynn, Marsh, Martin B, Martin G, McCalmon, Moody, Moon, Powers, Ragan, Raper, Reedy, Richey, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Sherrell, Slater, Sparks, Stevens, Terry, Todd, Travis, Vaughan, Vital, Warner, White, Wright, Zachary and Speaker Sexton.

Voting against this resolution were Democrat Representatives Behn, Camper, Chism, Clemmons, Dixie, Freeman, Glynn, Hakeem, Hardaway, Harris, Hemmer, Jernigan, Johnson G, Jones, Love, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Parkinson, Pearson, Powell, Shaw and Thompson.

Unlike bills, resolutions do not become law after being passed by the General Assembly. They are instead meant to convey the majority opinion of both or either chamber of the Legislature.

As outlined in the text of HJR0820, if it is passed in both chambers of the legislature, a certified copy of this resolution will be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Speaker and Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, the President and Secretary of the U.S. Senate and each member of Tennessee’s delegation to the U.S. legislature.

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. 

You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.