Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, plans to introduce a bill aimed at preventing federal bureaucrats from receiving cash prizes. His announcement follows claims that Dr. Anthony Fauci received over $1 million in prizes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hawley criticized Fauci in a Senate hearing, accusing him of exploiting loopholes in federal laws that forbid government employees from soliciting cash rewards. Dubbed the No Cash Prizes for Bureaucrats Act, the proposed legislation seeks to close these loopholes.
No federal bureaucrat should accept cash prizes while on the job. That’s why I’m introducing legislation to bar federal employees from accepting cash prizes or soliciting awards. Fauci got rich while millions of people died. It can never happen again.
Hawley shared evidence from public records showing that Fauci, while serving as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, used staff to secure at least eight cash awards for himself. One award amounted to $900,000.
The legislation would prohibit federal employees from receiving rewards for work related to medicine and research. It would also prevent employees from soliciting such rewards. Additionally, the bill aims to reinforce existing federal regulations that prevent National Institutes of Health officials from using official duty time to seek rewards.
During a recent Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Hawley confronted Fauci, who invoked the Fifth Amendment multiple times. Fauci declined to answer Hawley’s questions, citing his constitutional rights.
Hawley referenced internal emails from Fauci’s staff, including one from former chief of staff Greg Folkers. The emails discussed the Dan David Prize nomination, which came with a $900,000 cash prize. According to Hawley, Fauci used federal employees to assist with the nomination process and pursue additional awards, such as those from the Partnership for Public Service and the National Academy of Medicine.
Hawley accused Fauci of turning his staff into what amounted to an application machine. Fauci reportedly asked, ‘Do you think maybe I’d qualify?’ in pursuit of these awards.