[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5710 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5710
To authorize the provision of assistance on an emergency basis for
countries affected by or at risk of being affected by the outbreak of
the Ebola virus disease to effectively address such outbreak at its
source, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 14, 2014
Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Ms. Bass, and Mr. Meadows)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the provision of assistance on an emergency basis for
countries affected by or at risk of being affected by the outbreak of
the Ebola virus disease to effectively address such outbreak at its
source, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ebola Emergency Response Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the current outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in West
Africa poses severe health, economic, and security threats to
the countries affected by the outbreak of the Ebola virus
disease, the United States, and the broader international
community; and
(2) the whole-of-government response taken by the United
States provides unique capabilities that are critical to
effectively helping contain the Ebola virus disease in West
Africa, yet the United States alone will not succeed in
containing the Ebola virus disease.
SEC. 3. STATEMENTS OF POLICY.
It shall be the policy of the United States to--
(1) support a robust international response to the Ebola
virus disease in West Africa by undertaking a range of
activities to immediately help detect, contain, treat, and
deter the further spread of the disease;
(2) support the efforts of governments of affected
countries and of local, regional, and international
nongovernmental organizations and civil society organizations
working on the front lines of the response to the Ebola virus
disease; and
(3) work with appropriate security sector personnel engaged
in the response to the Ebola virus disease in Guinea, Liberia,
and Sierra Leone, as well as with civil society, regional
organizations, and the United Nations to enhance border
security and create a secure operating environment for health
workers and other responders and the communities they are
serving, including by repurposing, as necessary and
appropriate, existing United States security assistance
provided to the affected countries to address immediate border
security and law enforcement needs.
SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO CONTROL THE OUTBREAK OF THE EBOLA
VIRUS DISEASE.
In carrying out the policy under section 3, the President shall--
(1) seek to coordinate with the governments of countries of
Africa affected by or at risk of being affected by the outbreak
of the Ebola virus disease, other donors, the private sector,
regional and international financial institutions, local,
regional, and international organizations, civil society, and
local, regional, and nongovernmental organizations,
particularly organizations that possess experience in emergency
relief and infection control, to devise and implement a
coherent, comprehensive strategy to control the Ebola virus
disease and assist affected populations, utilizing all
necessary and appropriate assets and capabilities of the United
States Government; and
(2) direct the United States Permanent Representative to
the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of the
United States at the United Nations to--
(A) ensure that the United Nations Mission in
Liberia is fully protecting individuals under its care
from exploitation and abuse, including by soldiers
serving under its command, and, within its capabilities
and in the context of its mandate to help solidify
peace and stability while protecting civilians in
Liberia, plays an active role in the emergency
response, including by providing logistics and
engineering support, as well as securing border
crossings, state institutions, and treatment
facilities, as necessary and appropriate; and
(B) ensure that the United Nations Mission for the
Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) plays an effective
role in aligning donors around a single strategic
operating plan to detect, contain, treat, and deter the
further spread of Ebola, and that the associated costs
for its work are offset by decreases elsewhere in the
general budget of the United Nations.
SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY THE OUTBREAK OF THE EBOLA
VIRUS DISEASE.
(a) Authorization.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and
consistent with the authorities of section 491 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2292), the President is authorized to
provide assistance on an emergency basis to countries directly affected
by or at imminent risk of being affected by the outbreak of the Ebola
virus disease to effectively address such outbreak, by supporting the
activities described in subsection (b).
(b) Activities Supported.--Activities supported by assistance under
subsection (a) are the following:
(1) The construction, staffing, and equipping of patient
isolation and treatment facilities in sufficient numbers to
treat infected persons at the most appropriate locations.
(2) The construction and equipping of laboratories in
sufficient numbers to ensure accurate testing for the Ebola
virus disease and other infectious diseases, as necessary and
appropriate, in as rapid a time frame as possible.
(3) The provision of vital medical supplies and equipment
necessary to contain the outbreak.
(4) The recruitment and training of local and international
staff on effective disease identification, isolation, contact
tracing, and care with respect to the Ebola virus disease,
especially the proper use of universal precautions, personal
protective equipment, and other infection control measures, to
minimize transmission.
(5) The recruitment, training, and equipping of safe burial
teams, as necessary, to reduce transmission of the Ebola virus
disease.
(6) The provision of medical evacuations, on a reimbursable
basis, for medical and other personnel engaged in the response
to the Ebola virus disease who become infected with the
disease, as necessary and appropriate.
(7) The development of an effective public information
campaign to help limit the transmission of the Ebola virus
disease, utilizing all appropriate means of communication,
including digital, print, broadcast communication, and
communications through local health care workers, media,
schools, civil society organizations, and faith-based and
traditional leaders.
(8) The development and deployment of Ebola diagnostics and
surveillance tools, as well as vaccines and treatments as they
become available and to the extent possible that such vaccines
and treatments adhere to strictly enforced informed consent
protocols.
(9) The provision of emergency food assistance, water and
sanitation, shelter, and support for orphans and vulnerable
children in communities affected by the Ebola virus disease.
(10) The provision of technical assistance to strengthen
border control, including enhanced health screening at exit and
entry points in the region, to be complemented by appropriate
health screening at United States ports of entry.
(11) Activities related to sustainable post-outbreak
economic recovery and ensuring the stability of countries
affected by the Ebola virus disease.
(c) Allocation and Reimbursement Among Agencies.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the
President, acting through the Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development, is authorized to
utilize the services and facilities of, or procure commodities
from, any agency of the United States Government on a non-
reimbursable basis, subject to the written consent of the head
of such other agency, and notwithstanding any provision of law
relating to limitations on the use of authorities or funding of
such other agency.
(2) Congressional notification.--The Administrator shall
notify the appropriate committees not later than 15 days after
the date on which the authority under paragraph (1) is
utilized. Such notification shall include the name of the other
agency, the value of such services or facilities utilized, or
commodities procured, the affected appropriations accounts, and
a justification for the utilization of the authority under
paragraph (1).
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT TO AVOID ECONOMIC
COLLAPSE AND ASSIST WITH POST-CRISIS COUNTRIES DIRECTLY
AFFECTED BY THE OUTBREAK OF THE EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE.
It is the sense of Congress that the President should work with
other donors, including international financial institutions, to
encourage such other donors to help the governments of Guinea, Liberia,
and Sierra Leone mitigate the risks of economic collapse and related
civil unrest by providing appropriate access to emergency grants and
financing tools, as necessary and appropriate, to address fiscal issues
that are the direct result of the Ebola virus disease crisis, and to
assist with post-crisis economic recovery.
SEC. 7. REPORT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date on which
the President determines that the Ebola epidemic in West Africa has
been effectively contained, the President shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report that assesses the United
States coordination and response to the Ebola epidemic, including how
the authorities provided pursuant to this Act were utilized and lessons
learned that may have applications in response to future epidemics.
(b) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this section, the
term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Armed Services, and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;
and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Committee on Armed
Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry
out section 491 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2292)
$1,801,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.
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