McCarthy signs bill ending Covid-19 emergency declaration

by Timothy Frudd

Photo: Alamy

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., signed legislation Thursday that will head to Biden’s desk to officially bring an end to the Covid-19 emergency declaration.

McCarthy’s bill signing ceremony comes after a bipartisan vote in the Senate Wednesday to immediately end the Covid-19 emergency declaration, instead of waiting for the expiration of the declaration in May. The Senate voted 68-23 in favor of ending the declaration.

Earlier this year, under Republican leadership, the House of Representatives also passed the legislation in a 229-197 vote. 

According to The Hill, Biden threatened to veto a similar resolution last year that would have ended the emergency declaration. The resolution passed the Senate last year; however, it did not pass the House of Representatives under Democrat leadership.

Prior to Wednesday’s vote in the Senate, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told Democrat senators that Biden did not plan to veto the legislation ending the Covid-19 emergency declaration if it passed the Senate, according to the New York Post.

Despite reported assurances that Biden will not veto the bill, a White House official made it clear that Biden did not support the legislation ending the Covid-19 emergency declaration before its expiration date in May.

“The President strongly opposes HJ Res 7, and the administration is planning to wind down the COVID national emergency and public health emergency on May 11,” the official said. “If this bill comes to his desk, however, he will sign it, and the administration will continue working with agencies to wind down the national emergency with as much notice as possible to Americans who could potentially be impacted.”

After passing the Senate yesterday with bipartisan support, the legislation ending the Covid-19 emergency declaration will be sent to the White House for Biden to sign. If Biden signs the legislation, the Covid-19 emergency declaration will immediately be brought to an end.

Under McCarthy’s leadership, House Republicans have not only worked to pass legislation ending emergency declarations, but the House has also voted to declassify the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic in an attempt to hold China accountable for its actions.

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