Senator Jon Ossoff (D) and Rep. Buddy Carter (R) have confronted two different issues. Sen. Ossoff’s bill is a bipartisan effort to address the problem of civil rights era cold cases. Rep. Carter’s bill confronts gain-of-function medical research funded by taxpayer dollars.
First, Ossoff’s bill is known as the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act. The bill enhances the power of the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board through 2033.
The board’s responsibility is to help ensure the public release of records related to Civil Rights cold cases dated 1940 through 1979. Releasing these records is a way of relieving families of the victims.
In an official statement, Ossoff commented, “For too long, families of Civil Rights cold case victims have waited for answers and justice. Our bipartisan bill is an opportunity to pursue justice and truth on behalf of those who were killed.”
Ossoff collaborated with Senator Ted Cruz (R) who urged his colleagues to quickly review and pass the bill.
In an official statement, Cruz commented, “Civil Rights cold case victims and their families deserve justice. Giving the review board more time to investigate these unsolved cases is essential to delivering long-overdue accountability.”
Second, Carter’s bill is known as the Pausing Enhanced Pandemic Pathogen Research Act, or HR 1827. It was introduced back in 2023, but has been brought back into relevancy.
President Trump signed an executive order recently that ends and prohibits federal funding of gain-of-function research. Carter took the opportunity to advocate for the passage of his bill.
He took to X to state how important it is for this new executive order to be codified. Carter stated, “Dr. Fauci knew the risks but continued to fund this research with taxpayer dollars, which is why I introduced a bill to ban taxpayer funded gain-of-function research.”
On the bill, Carter commented, “The more we learn about the origins of COVID-19, the more it becomes clear that gain-of-function research is an existential threat.”
