Dr. Fauci and Sen. Rand Paul traded accusations of “lying” about funding research during a Senate hearing, according to Fox News.

Paul seemingly accused Fauci of lying to Congress in previous testimony, in which he said that the NIAID had never funded gain-of-function research in China. Paul said that U.S. money had essentially gone to the hazardous and controversial research, citing a paper on research about bat coronaviruses. Fauci objected to Paul’s accusations.

Fauci said, “I have never lied before the Congress, and I do not retract that statement.” Fauci said the research Paul referenced was “judged by qualified staff up and down the chain as not being gain of function.” Fauci continued, “You do not know what you are talking about quite frankly and I want to say that officially.”

Paul fired back, “You’re dancing around this because you’re trying to obscure responsibility.” Paul said that the NIH’s judgment “defines… away” work that essentially was gain-of-function.” Meanwhile, Fauci emphasized the importance of vaccines for stopping the delta variant in his opening remarks.

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