February 13, 2025

HHS withdraws from WHO as 124 nations sign pandemic treaty

US withdraws from WHO pandemic preparedness treaty negotiations

🏥Public Health🛡️National Security🌍Foreign Policy

On 2025-02-13, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mandy Cohen signed the U.S. withdrawal notice to WHO under 42 U.S.C. § 247d, triggering the one-year notice period required by Article 7 of the WHO constitution (HHS letter; WHO constitution).

The United States’ assessed contributions to WHO totaled approximately $693 million in FY 2024, a funding stream that would be at risk if the withdrawal finalizes (KFF budget tracker).

The International Health Security Review Act allows Congress to block a treaty exit via a privileged resolution within 60 days, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s Senate Joint Resolution 18 would impose a two-thirds Senate vote requirement to approve any withdrawal (Congressional Record; Congress.gov S.J.Res.18).

🏥Public Health🛡️National Security🌍Foreign Policy

Test Your Knowledge

Critics argue the president cannot withdraw without which branch’s assent?

Which statute lets Congress block a treaty exit via a privileged resolution within 60 days?

The notice starts a one-year countdown before the U.S. can fully exit WHO agreements.

Which Cabinet official signed the withdrawal notice to WHO?

Which U.S. funding stream—about $693 million in FY 2024—would be at risk if the exit finalizes?

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People, bills, and sources

Mandy Cohen (Secretary of Health and Human Services)

invoked 42 U.S.C. § 247d in the letter notifying WHO of U.S. intent to quit treaty talks on 2025-02-13 (HHS letter).

Jeanne Shaheen (U.S. Senator, D-NH)

introduced Senate Joint Resolution 18 to require a two-thirds Senate vote for approving any WHO treaty withdrawal (Congress.gov S.J.Res.18).

What you can do

Download and examine the withdrawal notice PDF from HHS at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/us-withdrawal-notice-who.pdf to verify the legal basis under 42 U.S.C. § 247d and confirm that the one-year countdown began on 2025-02-13.

Access the WHO constitution at https://www.who.int/governance/eb/who_constitution_en.pdf and review Article 7 to understand the required notice period before treaty exit can take effect.

Visit the S.J.Res.18 page on Congress.gov (https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/18) to track the resolution’s status and note the two-thirds Senate vote threshold for withdrawal approval.