In his closing statement, Ranking Member Raul Ruiz expressed gratitude towards Dr. Anthony Fauci for his testimony and extensive service to the nation in managing various epidemics and pandemics. He also criticized Republicans for promoting extreme narratives for political purposes.
Ruiz highlighted that over the past four years, Dr. Fauci had been the subject of extreme narratives regarding the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and the US government's response to it. He mentioned that these narratives formed the basis of the Republican-led probe by the subcommittee but were contradicted by evidence from interviews and thousands of reviewed documents.
The evidence revealed that Dr. Fauci was not involved in funding research through the EcoHealth Alliance Grant that led to the Covid-19 pandemic, did not misrepresent gain of function research in Wuhan, China, and did not conspire to suppress the lab-leak theory.
Subcommittee Chair Brad Wenstrup also thanked Dr. Fauci for voluntarily testifying and emphasized that the hearing aimed to enhance understanding of the government's Covid-19 response and identify areas for improvement. Wenstrup acknowledged both successful aspects and shortcomings in the office where Fauci served.
Wenstrup stressed the importance of clarity in future actions to enhance messaging and build trust. He expressed concern about the need for improved communication from government agencies to ensure transparency and accuracy in disseminating information.
