H.R. 600, titled the WHO is Accountable Act, is a proposed House bill introduced in the 119th Congress. It would block the use of U.S. funds to seek membership in the World Health Organization (WHO) or to provide any kind of assessed or voluntary contributions to the WHO until the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that the WHO meets a set of specific conditions. Those conditions include reforms to keep humanitarian aid non-politicized, independence from the Chinese Communist Party’s influence, avoidance of a COVID-19 coverup, granting observer status to Taiwan, preventing diversion of supplies to certain countries, improved transparency and accountability, a halt to funding or messaging on certain controversial issues, and a provision limiting the binding legal effect of any WHO directives on U.S. citizens or state governments. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Arrington (with several cosponsors) and referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. If enacted, funding for WHO engagement would be effectively paused until the Secretary of State verifies that the WHO satisfies all conditions.
Key Points
- 1Prohibits use of federal funds to seek U.S. membership in the WHO or to provide assessed or voluntary contributions to the WHO.
- 2Requires the Secretary of State to certify to Congress that the WHO meets a defined set of conditions before funds may be used for membership or contributions.
- 3The conditions include reforms to ensure humanitarian aid is not politicized, independence from the CCP, no involvement in a COVID-19 coverup, Taiwan observer status, no diversion of supplies to certain countries (Iran, North Korea, Syria), greater transparency and accountability, and cessation of funding/messaging on politically charged issues unrelated to the WHO’s core mission (e.g., gender identity, climate change, abortion).
- 4It adds a binding constraint on WHO directives, stating that no WHO directive may be legally binding on U.S. citizens or state governments as a condition of membership.
- 5The bill, if advanced and enacted, would place a substantial governance and political filter on U.S. cooperation with the WHO and could shape U.S.–WHO relations for years.