Two NIH researchers were charged in June 2026 with smuggling monkeypox samples into the U.S. from the Congo and making false statements to federal agents. Documents released by Paul's Senate committee show a 15-year pattern of biosafety rule violations—unauthorized shipping methods, mislabeled infectious materials, and lost pathogen shipments. While these documented violations are confirmed, the characterization of systemic "recklessness" reflects Paul's political interpretation. NIH does have internal review processes and external reporting requirements for biosafety oversight, though experts have raised concerns about whether these mechanisms are adequate and consistently applied. The violations indicate compliance problems that officials internally flagged, but broader claims about systemic failures go beyond what the available documentation clearly establishes.