Lawmakers Urge Temporary Visa Suspension for Ebola-Affected Nations

CONGRESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTS: CALLS FOR SUSPENDNG VISAS, AND HEARING ANNOUNCED ON EXPECTED NEW BUDGET REQUEST

HOMELAND SECURITY TODAY                Oct. 10 2014
By: Amanda Vicinanzo, Senior Editor

WASHINGTON --Amid calls to issue a travel ban to and from West Africa to help protect Americans from Ebola, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, introduced the proposition that the US should look at the idea of temporarily suspending the thirteen thousand visas that would be coming out of the region.

 Rep. McCaul, along with subcommittee chairmen Reps. Peter King (R-NY), Candice Miller (R-Mich), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Richard Hudson (R-NC) and Susan Brooks (R-Ind) recently urged the Obama administration that “additional steps should be considered to curtail the potential spread of Ebola to the United States.

.. the lawmakers argue that point of exit screening in West Africa and the point of entry screening recently implemented at five US airports is not enough. In an Oct. 15 letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson and Secretary of State John Kerry, the legislators wrote that, “While we remain confident in CBP’s ability to adequately screen individuals with overt signs of disease, given the virus’ long incubation period of up to 21 days, individuals carrying the virus may not show symptoms when they leave West Africa or upon entry in the United States."

 .. the lawmakers argued that temporarily suspending visas of individuals from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea until the outbreak is under control would ensure healthcare workers and supplies can reach West Africa while also ensuring the safety of the American public.

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http://www.hstoday.us/briefings/daily-news-analysis/single-article/lawmakers-urge-temporary-visa-suspension-for-ebola-affected-nations/e8ef6bb01109e0dc0562ce2204411271.html
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WHITE HOUSE DISCUSSES NEW EBOLA FUNDING REQUESTS WITH THE SENATE

THE HILL               Oct. 20, 2014  10:17 AM EDT                          

By Justin Sink 

The White House has held preliminary discussions with the Senate about a new funding request to fight Ebola, according to a pair of congressional sources.

Any request would come on top of hundreds of millions of dollars already allocated for the fight against the deadly virus, and would trigger a battle with congressional Republicans over the Obama administration’s handling of the crisis.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) announced Monday her full panel would meet to discuss the Ebola crisis on Nov. 6, two days after the midterm elections.

Full article on web site for Oct. 20.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/221243-white-house-begins-talks-with-congress-on-new-ebola-funding