NW Valley Times

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko has recently put forth the Fixing Administrations Unethical Corrupt Influence Act (FAUCI Act) in an effort to prevent former employees of covered health agencies from benefiting financially from their involvement in the development and research of drugs, biological products, or medical devices. The bill has also been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator J.D. Vance.

Lesko emphasized the importance of rebuilding trust and transparency within government agencies, stating, "As we saw through the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lot of distrust of the government officials and bureaucrats who appear to profit from their work on the taxpayers’ dime after leaving their jobs." She expressed gratitude for the support of her colleagues and urged swift consideration of the legislation in Congress.

Senator Vance echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the need to prevent public health officials from using their positions for personal gain, saying, "This legislation will shut the revolving door between big pharma and federal agencies tasked with protecting the American people. It would go a long way in restoring trust in our government."

The Fauci Act aims to prohibit former employees of government health agencies from profiting from any products they were involved with during their tenure, as well as banning top officials at health agencies from owning or profiting from patents for medical products. Covered health agencies under the bill include the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health, with "top officials" defined as government employees above GS-13.

Joining Lesko in introducing the bill were Representatives Andy Biggs, Dan Bishop, Diana Harshbarger, Doug LaMalfa, W. Gregory Steube, and Joe Wilson.

This legislation represents a significant step towards ensuring accountability and integrity within the healthcare industry and government agencies.