[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 153 (Monday, September 23, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5632-S5633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EBOLA ERADICATION ACT OF 2019
Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
notwithstanding the order of August 1, 2019, the Senate proceed to the
immediate consideration of Calendar No. 102, S. 1340.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 1340) to authorize activities to combat the
Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and
for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign Relations, with
an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu
thereof the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ebola Eradication Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic
of the Congo, which began in August 2018 in eastern Congo, is
the second largest in history and has resulted in over 1,600
cases and 1,000 deaths.
(2) Despite the use of preventive tools and new
therapeutics, insecurity and community resistance to response
efforts remain major obstacles to ending the current Ebola
outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the
outbreak continues to spread.
(3) Hospitals, health clinics, and Ebola clinics have been
repeatedly attacked by armed actors.
(4) On February 28, 2019, Doctors Without Borders suspended
its work in Ebola epicenters after two treatment centers were
attacked.
(5) On April 19, 2019, Dr. Richard Valery Mouzoko Kiboung,
an epidemiologist from Cameroon deployed by the World Health
Organization to eastern Congo to help stop the outbreak, was
killed in an attack on Butembo University Hospital.
(6) Healthcare workers responding to Ebola have expressed
concerns about their ability to continue working on the
response given the complex security situation.
(7) If the outbreak is not brought under control, it risks
spreading across the border to neighboring countries and
endangering millions of people.
(8) The Administration released a November 29, 2018,
Presidential Memorandum implementing aid restrictions to most
countries on Tier III of the 2018 Trafficking In Persons
(TIP) report that fully restricted non-humanitarian, non-
trade related aid to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
(9) Paragraphs (4) and (5) of section 110(d) of the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C.
7107(d)(4) and (5)) authorize the continuation of assistance
in Tier III countries if such assistance is determined to be
in the national interest of the United States.
(10) Section 110(d)(5)(B) of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C.
[[Page S5633]]
7107(d)(5)(B)) states, ``The President shall exercise the
[waiver] authority under paragraph (4) when necessary to
avoid significant adverse effects on vulnerable populations,
including women and children.''.
(11) The President has not exercised the waiver authority
provided for in section 110(d)(5)(B) of the Trafficking in
Victims Protection Act of 2000 in relation to health,
education, or community outreach activities essential to the
success of the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo.
(12) It is in the national interest of the United States to
help control and end the current Ebola outbreak in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo before it spreads.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION TO ADDRESS THE EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 110 of the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107),
the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development shall immediately provide
assistance, including multi-sectoral, non-humanitarian, and
non-trade related foreign assistance, to the Democratic
Republic of the Congo and other vulnerable countries to
effectively combat the Ebola outbreak that began in August
2018. Subject to the availability of appropriations, such
assistance shall be provided at levels commensurate with both
the threat posed by the Ebola outbreak and an effective
response. Activities to expand and improve access to
communities heavily affected by the Ebola outbreak should be
prioritized under this section.
(b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 30 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the
United States Agency for International Development shall
submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate
and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives a report--
(1) describing the actions the Administrator has taken and
plans to take under section 3(a) to end the Ebola outbreak in
eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo; and
(2) proposing any additional legal authorities required to
improve the response to the Ebola outbreak in eastern
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Mr. RUBIO. I further ask unanimous consent that the Menendez-Lee
amendment at the desk be agreed to; that the committee-reported
substitute, as amended, be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be
considered read a third time and passed; and that the motions to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no
intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 940) was agreed to as follows:
(Purpose: To modify the authority to provide assistance)
On page 7, strike lines 12 through 25 and insert the
following:
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 110 of the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107),
and subject to the availability of appropriations, the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development shall immediately provide assistance, including
targeted foreign assistance under chapters 1 and 10 of part I
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et
seq.; 22 U.S.C. 2293 et seq.) for global health and
activities necessary to respond to the threat posed by Ebola,
and under chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.), to the Democratic Republic
of the Congo, South Sudan, and Burundi to effectively combat
the Ebola outbreak that began in August 2018, including water
and sanitation infrastructure, global health activities,
public messaging and other critical activities necessary for
ending the outbreak. Such assistance shall be provided at
levels commensurate both to address the threat posed by the
Ebola outbreak and conduct activities necessary for an
effective response. Activities to expand and improve access
to communities heavily affected by the Ebola outbreak should
be prioritized under this section.
The committee-reported amendment, as amended, was agreed to.
The bill (S. 1340), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:
S. 1340
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 Eradication Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic
of the Congo, which began in August 2018 in eastern Congo, is
the second largest in history and has resulted in over 1,600
cases and 1,000 deaths.
(2) Despite the use of preventive tools and new
therapeutics, insecurity and community resistance to response
efforts remain major obstacles to ending the current Ebola
outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the
outbreak continues to spread.
(3) Hospitals, health clinics, and Ebola clinics have been
repeatedly attacked by armed actors.
(4) On February 28, 2019, Doctors Without Borders suspended
its work in Ebola epicenters after two treatment centers were
attacked.
(5) On April 19, 2019, Dr. Richard Valery Mouzoko Kiboung,
an epidemiologist from Cameroon deployed by the World Health
Organization to eastern Congo to help stop the outbreak, was
killed in an attack on Butembo University Hospital.
(6) Healthcare workers responding to Ebola have expressed
concerns about their ability to continue working on the
response given the complex security situation.
(7) If the outbreak is not brought under control, it risks
spreading across the border to neighboring countries and
endangering millions of people.
(8) The Administration released a November 29, 2018,
Presidential Memorandum implementing aid restrictions to most
countries on Tier III of the 2018 Trafficking In Persons
(TIP) report that fully restricted non-humanitarian, non-
trade related aid to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
(9) Paragraphs (4) and (5) of section 110(d) of the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C.
7107(d)(4) and (5)) authorize the continuation of assistance
in Tier III countries if such assistance is determined to be
in the national interest of the United States.
(10) Section 110(d)(5)(B) of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107(d)(5)(B)) states,
``The President shall exercise the [waiver] authority under
paragraph (4) when necessary to avoid significant adverse
effects on vulnerable populations, including women and
children.''.
(11) The President has not exercised the waiver authority
provided for in section 110(d)(5)(B) of the Trafficking in
Victims Protection Act of 2000 in relation to health,
education, or community outreach activities essential to the
success of the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo.
(12) It is in the national interest of the United States to
help control and end the current Ebola outbreak in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo before it spreads.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION TO ADDRESS THE EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 110 of the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107),
and subject to the availability of appropriations, the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development shall immediately provide assistance, including
targeted foreign assistance under chapters 1 and 10 of part I
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et
seq.; 22 U.S.C. 2293 et seq.) for global health and
activities necessary to respond to the threat posed by Ebola,
and under chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.), to the Democratic Republic
of the Congo, South Sudan, and Burundi to effectively combat
the Ebola outbreak that began in August 2018, including water
and sanitation infrastructure, global health activities,
public messaging and other critical activities necessary for
ending the outbreak. Such assistance shall be provided at
levels commensurate both to address the threat posed by the
Ebola outbreak and conduct activities necessary for an
effective response. Activities to expand and improve access
to communities heavily affected by the Ebola outbreak should
be prioritized under this section.
(b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 30 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the
United States Agency for International Development shall
submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate
and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives a report--
(1) describing the actions the Administrator has taken and
plans to take under section 3(a) to end the Ebola outbreak in
eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo; and
(2) proposing any additional legal authorities required to
improve the response to the Ebola outbreak in eastern
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
____________________