Senator Joni Ernst demands FAR rule changes and seeks contempt for Dr. Fauci

Senator Joni Ernst (R‑IA) joined Senators Chuck Grassley, Gary Peters and Maggie Hassan in urging the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council to finalize rules required by the 2022 Preventing Organizational Conflicts of Interest in Federal Acquisition Act. The law mandates contractors disclose potential conflicts before receiving taxpayer‑funded contracts, and the Council was supposed to issue final regulations within 18 months, a deadline that has now passed. The senators asked the FAR Council to provide a clear timeline for completing the rulemaking and to identify any remaining inter‑agency steps.

Separately, Ernst has asked the Department of Justice to pursue a contempt of Congress case against Dr. Anthony Fauci for refusing to disclose his role in NIH fetal‑tissue research. The request, supported by the Catholic League, cites a 2021 study that used aborted fetal tissue in mouse experiments and alleges a lack of transparency from Fauci’s office.