Rep. Elise Stefanik (Official congressional photo)

WASHINGTON — Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican who represents northern New York, has been named to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s China Task Force, aimed at working on policies to hold China accountable for allegedly covering up the initial spread of COVID-19.

Stefanik is one of 15 members of Congress on the task force. In late April she joined other congressional Republicans in asking the U.S. secretary of state and attorney general to bring China to the International Court of Justice to answer for its handling of the new coronavirus, specifically for alleged withholding and giving inaccurate information to the World Health Organization. She also has demanded China pay back all nations impacted by the virus and cosponsored a bill to move American pharmaceutical production out of China.

“The Communist Party of China intentionally withheld critical information on the spread of COVID-19 that could have saved thousands of lives,” Stefanik said in a press release Thursday. “To this day, China continues to spread misinformation regarding this health crisis.”

“Elise is an excellent fit for this task force,” McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, Calif., said in the release. “As a rising star in the party, she has been one of the most active members in addressing the China threat. I saw early on during this pandemic that she recognized the need to hold China accountable for its misinformation campaign surrounding the coronavirus, and she has only continued to pursue the truth since then. I know that because of her tenacity, creativity and determination to keep America safe, she will make invaluable contributions to the task force’s mission and the long-term security of the American people.”