Rick Scott introduces bill to limit powers of the World Health Organization: 'Dangerous globalist overreach'

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EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is introducing legislation aimed at curtailing the power of the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure that the public health matters are handled by the U.S., not "puppets" for Communist China.

The bill, introduced Thursday, would prevent U.S. officials from being bound to orders or directives given by the WHO or it's branches. In addition, it would require U.S. officials to oppose changes to the WHO charter until the House and the Senate agree to adopt the change in a joint resolution of Congress. 

"The WHO’s radical ‘pandemic treaty’ is a dangerous globalist overreach. The United States of America must never give more power to the WHO. The WHO is a puppet for Xi Jinping, controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, and helped Beijing cover up the origins of COVID-19," Scott told Fox News Digital.

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"We must quickly pass this bill to ensure that public health matters in the country remain in the hands of Americans, not globalist puppets working for Communist China."

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The legislation comes as the Biden administration is set to propose amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHRs) during the 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva this week, which Republicans have argued would surrender the U.S. government's control during a public health emergency to a foreign body.

A source within the White House told Fox News Digital this week that the administration "believes in science."

"The WHO is an important body to coordinate global health activities and provide evidence-based guidance on the world’s health crisis. Would also note that the United States is in a stronger, more effective position to advance WHO reforms that would create global health equity while also protecting the homeland if we have a seat at the table," the Biden administration source said.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), removes his protective face mask prior to speaking to the media at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Dec. 20, 2021. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP, File)

The WHO has come under fire from members of Congress over the last two years. Lawmakers have called the organization a "puppet" for the Chinese Communist Party and have accused WHO of working to conceal COVID-19 origins. 

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Last week, Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., called on Biden to remove the U.S. from the WHO over the agency's "abysmal lack of competence" throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., speaks during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on the nomination of Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of Health and Human Services on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. (Michael Reynolds/Pool via AP)

And in a letter sent to Biden Monday, Republican lawmakers in the House Freedom Caucus urged Biden to halt efforts to "empower" the WHO, and instead "either immediately resume President Trump’s withdrawal from the body or, at the very least, push serious reforms to aggressively correct the organization’s rampant corruption and ineffectual leadership."