On May 22nd, Governor Kevin Stitt and 23 other governors signed a letter to President Biden opposing proposed amendments to the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations (IHR) and a New Pandemic Treaty that would grant the World Health Organization (WHO) unconstitutional power over Americans and drastically diminish the role of governors and state health officials’ ability to protect citizens against international health entities.

The proposals, if finalized, would:

• Introduce a new “Pandemic Agreement,” which would undermine national sovereignty and infringe on states’ rights.
• Elevate the WHO from an advisory body to a global authority in public health.
• Give the WHO director-general unilateral power to declare a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ in member nations.
• Strip elected representatives of their authority to set public health policy.

The letter reads, in part: “Additional concerns arise regarding the establishment of a global surveillance infrastructure and requirements for member states to censor speech related to public health, potentially facilitating the proliferation of biological weapons. 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. 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.”

Signatories include: Governor Kay Ivey (AL), Governor Mike Dunleavy (AK), Governor Sarah Sanders (AR), Governor Ron DeSantis (FL), Governor Brian Kemp (GA), Governor Brad Little (ID), Governor Eric Holcomb (IN), Governor Kim Reynolds (IA), Governor Jeff Landry (LA), Governor Tate Reeves (MS), Governor Greg Gianforte (MT), Governor Jim Pillen (NE), Governor Joe Lombardo (NV), Governor Chris Sununu (NH), Governor Doug Burgum (ND), Governor Kevin Stitt (OK), Governor Henry McMaster (SC), Governor Kristi Noem (SD), Governor Bill Lee (TN), Governor Greg Abbott (TX), Governor Spencer Cox (UT), Governor Glenn Youngkin (VA), Governor Jim Justice (WV), and Governor Mark Gordon (WY).

The letter can be read in full here.