Media Contact:
Benjamin Arden, (202) 418-0288 
benjamin.arden@fcc.gov 
 
For Immediate Release







Carr Applauds Legislation Highlighting Communist China’s Role in Spread of COVID-19
Legislation Would Rename Area Outside Communist China’s Embassy “Li Wenliang Plaza”

WASHINGTON, DC, May 7, 2020—FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr applauded legislation introduced in the House and Senate today that would rename the street outside Communist China’s Embassy in DC “Li Wenliang Plaza” after the Wuhan-based doctor who tried to warn the world about COVID-19 before the Communist regime silenced him.  Dr. Li later died after contracting COVID-19.

House Republican Conference Chair and Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney introduced the bill in the House, which can be found here.

Senators Tom Cotton, Ben Sasse, Marco Rubio, and Marsha Blackburn introduced a companion bill in the Senate, which can be found here.

Commissioner Carr previously stood outside Communist China’s Embassy in DC and called for legislation to rename the street after hero doctor Li Wenliang.

“I applaud Congresswoman Cheney and Senators Cotton, Sasse, Rubio, and Blackburn for their bold and important decision to introduce this legislation,” Carr stated.  “Their bills remind the world that Communist China’s brutal crackdown on free speech exacerbated the spread of COVID-19.  Their bills also highlight the bravery shown by Dr. Li and so many Chinese people that resist the oppressive Communist regime in both large and small ways.  When Dr. Li sounded the alarm on COVID-19 in December 2019, Communist officials silenced him.  The regime chose propaganda over truth, and it continued to mislead the world for months,” Carr added.

“Shortly before his death, Dr. Li wrote ‘If the officials had disclosed information about the epidemic earlier, I think it would have been a lot better.’  Dr. Li’s instinct has now been confirmed with a University of Southampton study showing that cases could have been reduced by 95% if interventions had been taken only a few weeks earlier,” Carr stated.

“I hope these bills get the broad and bipartisan support they deserve,” Carr concluded.


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Office of Commissioner Brendan Carr: (202) 418-2200
www.fcc.gov/about/leadership/brendan-carr