McCarthy, Select Committee on CCP Unveil Findings from Reedley Lab

McCarthy, Select Committee on CCP Unveil Findings from Reedley Lab | Representative Kevin McCarthy Skip to main content AboutContactE-Newsletter SubscriptionOffice LocationsWebsite ProblemServicesArt CompetitionCommemorative GreetingsConsumer ProtectionDisaster PreparednessFederal Business OpportunitiesFlagsFor BusinessesGovernment ResourcesHelpful ResourcesIdentity TheftInternshipsIn the Event of an EmergencyMilitary PersonnelParentsPassportsSenior Citizens' ResourcesStudent Financial AidStudentsTours and TicketsU.S. Service Academy NominationsVeterans History ProjectVeterans' ResourcesWashington DC VisitorsMediaPress ReleasesIssuesAgricultureEconomyEducationEnergyForeign AffairsGovernment SpendingHealth CareImmigrationNational SecuritySpace and AeronauticsTaxesTransportationValley FeverVeterans IssuesWater*NEW* Resources for Crisis in Israel Image HomeMediaPress ReleasesMcCarthy, Select Committee on CCP Unveil Findings from Reedley LabNovember 15, 2023 Press ReleaseToday, Congressman Kevin McCarthy (CA-20), the 55th Speaker of the House, joined Members of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party to release findings of its investigation into the biolab discovered in Reedley, California. This announcement follows the subpoena issued by the Select Committee in September after McCarthy called for the Committee to investigate the situation. Image McCarthy’s remarks as prepared can be seen below: “For over 20 years, I've represented the Central Valley in the state legislature and now in the U.S. Congress.  “Reedley, California is just north of my district where I grew up and where I live now.  “Shortly after the news broke about an illegal lab operating in Reedley, I asked the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party to investigate so the people of the Central Valley could get the truth about what happened.“Back then, there was a lot of speculation and very little confirmed information.“But in just a few short months, and through the excellent work of the Select Committee, we were able to uncover some hard truths. “Here’s what we’ve learned:“We now know that the owner of the lab, who was a Chinese national, was living in the United States illegally under a false name.“We learned that he fled Canada, where he had been caught engaging in IP theft, and sent that information back to the Chinese Communist Party.“We discovered he was holding on to samples of pathogens like Malaria, HIV, and Meningitis in an unlicensed and unmarked facility.“We found out that the CDC, FDA, and DOJ provided little help to the local officials in Reedley. It wasn’t until the Committee began its investigation that the federal government finally stepped in. “This report also highlighted some unknowns, like:“Why did the CDC refuse to check thousands of samples at the lab, falsely claiming that they did not have the jurisdiction to do so?“Why did the CDC fail to check a freezer at the facility labeled “Ebola” which was filled with what appeared to be sealed samples of this deadly virus? And why did they refuse to test these samples when local officials gave them the opportunity?“Why did it take the Select Committee’s involvement for the FBI, CDC, and DOJ to do their jobs and get involved?“Why was the lab owner holding on to these pathogens in the first place?“Central Valley residents, who were exposed to this lab for years, deserve to know how this happened.“Americans across the country deserve to know that this won’t happen in their own communities.“And the CDC must be held accountable to its unacceptable response.“Safeguards need to be put in place to ensure no lab operates under these illegal conditions again. “This is not over, and I congratulate Chairman Gallagher, Ranking MemberKrishnamoorthi, the Committee members, and the hardworking Committee staff who dedicated months to finding answers when their counterparts at the CDC did not. “I also want to commend Fresno County and the City of Reedley for their swift action responding to this threat in the months prior, and thank them for their ongoing cooperation with the Select Committee’s investigation. “We have uncovered a fatal flaw in our system, and we must continue working on legislative solutions until we can say with full confidence that this will never happen again.” Issues:Foreign AffairsHealthNational SecurityTopWashington DC Office2468 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, DC  20515Phone: (202) 225-2915Fax: (202) 225-2908Bakersfield District Office9700 Stockdale HighwaySuite 300Bakersfield, CA  93311Phone: (661) 327-3611Fax: (661) 637-0867Clovis District Office2187 Herndon AvenueSuite 101Clovis, CA  93611Phone: (559) 701-2530AboutContactE-Newsletter SubscriptionOffice LocationsWebsite ProblemServicesArt CompetitionCommemorative GreetingsConsumer ProtectionDisaster PreparednessFederal Business OpportunitiesFlagsFor BusinessesGovernment ResourcesHelpful ResourcesIdentity TheftInternshipsIn the Event of an EmergencyMilitary PersonnelParentsPassportsSenior Citizens' ResourcesStudent Financial AidStudentsTours and TicketsU.S. Service Academy NominationsVeterans History ProjectVeterans' ResourcesWashington DC VisitorsMediaPress ReleasesIssuesAgricultureEconomyEducationEnergyForeign AffairsGovernment SpendingHealth CareImmigrationNational SecuritySpace and AeronauticsTaxesTransportationValley FeverVeterans IssuesWater*NEW* Resources for Crisis in IsraelCopyrightPrivacyHouse.gov