[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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