Alabama Governor Kay Ivey is joining opposition to a new proposal that would grant new powers to the World Health Organization (WHO). Ivey joined 23 Republican governors in a letter to President Joe Biden that opposes “two proposals currently under negotiation that they believe would grant “unprecedented and unconstitutional powers over the United States and its people.”

“These proposed accords aim to significantly alter the amendments to the WHO’s existing
International Health Regulations (IHRs),” the letter said, “and introduce a new ‘Pandemic Agreement’ (Treaty) that would undermine national sovereignty, infringe upon states’ rights, and jeopardize constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.”

The governors argue that the WHO’s new authority would infringe on the rights of American citizens.

“The objective of these instruments is to empower the WHO,” the letter continued, “particularly its uncontrollable Director-General, with the authority to restrict the rights of U.S. citizens, including freedoms such as speech, privacy, travel, choice of medical care, and informed consent, thus violating our Constitution’s core principles.”

The letter also makes the case that states should direct health policy during a pandemic, not an international organization like the WHO.

“As governors, we affirm that public health policy is a matter reserved for the states, not the federal government, and certainly not international bodies like the WHO,” the letter argued. “We are committed to resisting any attempts to transfer authority to the WHO over public policy affecting our citizens or any efforts by the WHO to assert such authority over them.”

This is not the first time there has been opposition to the WHO in Alabama. Alabama House Republicans were able to pass a resolution in April condemning the organization over the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The resolution said, “members of this body encourage the United States government to ensure the fundamental freedoms of the American people against the corrupting influence of international entities such as the World Health Organization that all too often are under the influence of authoritarian foreign regimes that do not act in the best interest of the United States.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee