The House Appropriations Committee says the White House has blocked top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci from testifying at a hearing on the coronavirus outbreak next week.
The White House says Fauci is too busy with his duties in handling the virus. It said in a statement it is "counter-productive to have the very individuals involved in those efforts appearing at Congressional hearings." It said it is "committed to working with Congress to offer testimony at the appropriate time."
The Trump administration is allowing Fauci to testify on May 12 in front of a Senate Committee. The decision to block him from testifying before a Democratic-led committee just a week before he testifies before a Republican-led committee is likely to draw criticism.
An administration official told The Washington Post the White House is trying to balance a "legitimate need for oversight" with "responsibilities to handle COVID-19 work at their respective agencies and departments."
Contains footage from CNN.
