Twenty-Four Governors Unite to Oppose Biden’s Plan to Expand WHO Authority in Emergencies

Twenty-four governors, including Governor Jim Pillen of Nebraska, have voiced opposition to President Joe Biden’s plan to strengthen the World Health Organization’s authority during public health emergencies. In a joint letter sent to the president, the governors expressed concerns that the proposed changes would give the WHO Director-General unilateral power to declare public health emergencies in member nations, potentially extending beyond pandemics to a range of perceived emergencies. This could diminish the role of governors as state health officials and erode sovereignty by allowing the WHO to dictate responses to declared emergencies, potentially including mandates on medical treatments.

Governor Pillen was joined by governors from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina