,,ii ,calendar ,no4 #ajb #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #acdj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #g1 #bjai,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 ,mr4 ,coons1 and ,mr4 ,isakson7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,june #c1 #bjai,reported by ,mr4 ,risch1 with an amendment,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic ,a ,,bill ,to authorize activities to combat the ,ebola outbreak in the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,ebola ,eradication ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the current ,ebola outbreak in the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo1 which began in ,august #bjah in eastern ,congo1 has resulted in #a1eed total cases1 and #a1jbi deaths4 7#b7 ,despite the use of preventive tools and new therapeutics1 insecurity and community resistance to response efforts remain major obstacles to ending the current ,ebola outbreak in the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo1 and the outbreak continues to spread4 7#c7 ,hospitals1 health clinics1 and ,ebola clinics have been repeatedly attacked by armed actors4 7#d7 ,on ,february #bh1 #bjai1 ,doctors ,without ,borders suspended its work in ,ebola epicenters after two treatment centers were attacked4 7#e7 ,on ,april #ai1 #bjai1 ,dr4 ,richard ,valery ,mouzoko ,kiboung1 an epidemiologist from ,cameroon deployed by the ,world ,health ,organization to eastern ,congo to help stop the outbreak1 was killed in an attack on ,butembo ,university ,hospital4 7#f7 ,in the wake of ,dr4 ,kiboung's death1 healthcare workers responding to ,ebola have threatened to go on strike unless the ,government of the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo takes steps to improve security4 7#g7 ,the ,administration released a ,november #bi1 #bjah1 ,presidential ,memorandum implementing aid restrictions to most countries on ,tier #c of the #bjah ,trafficking ,in ,persons 7,,tip7 report that fully restricted non-humanitarian1 non-trade related aid to the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo4 7#h7 ,section #aaj7;d77#e77;,b7 of the ,trafficking ,victims ,protection ,act of #bjjj 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #gajg7;d77#e77;,b77 states1 ,the ,president shall exercise the waiver authority under paragraph 7#d7 when necessary to avoid significant adverse effects on vulnerable populations1 including women and children44 7#i7 ,the ,president has not exercised the waiver authority provided for in section #aaj7;d77#e77;,b7 of the ,trafficking in ,victims ,protection ,act of #bjjj in relation to health1 education1 or community outreach activities essential to the success of the ,ebola response in the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo4 7#aj7 ,the ,united ,states is a critical partner in helping the ,government of the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo end the current outbreak4 #c4 ,authorization to address the ,ebola outbreak in the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo 7a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development is authorized to provide assistance for efforts to combat the ,ebola outbreak in the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo and1 to the extent necessary1 in other countries1 including assistance intended to lower community resistance to interventions that the ,administrator assesses will facilitate efforts to combat the ,ebola outbreak4 7b7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #cj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 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-- 7#a7 describing the actions the ,administrator has taken and plans to take under section #c7;a7 to end the ,ebola outbreak in eastern ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo2 and 7#b7 proposing any additional legal authorities required to improve the response to the ,ebola outbreak in eastern ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,ebola ,eradication ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the current ,ebola outbreak in the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo1 which began in ,august #bjah in eastern ,congo1 is the second largest in history and has resulted in over #a1fjj cases and #a1jjj deaths4 7#b7 ,despite the use of preventive tools and new therapeutics1 insecurity and community resistance to response efforts remain major obstacles to ending the current ,ebola outbreak in the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo1 and the outbreak continues to spread4 7#c7 ,hospitals1 health clinics1 and ,ebola clinics have been repeatedly attacked by armed actors4 7#d7 ,on ,february #bh1 #bjai1 ,doctors ,without ,borders suspended its work in ,ebola epicenters after two treatment centers were attacked4 7#e7 ,on ,april #ai1 #bjai1 ,dr4 ,richard ,valery ,mouzoko ,kiboung1 an epidemiologist from ,cameroon deployed by the ,world ,health ,organization to eastern ,congo to help stop the outbreak1 was killed in an attack on ,butembo ,university ,hospital4 7#f7 ,healthcare workers responding to ,ebola have expressed concerns about their ability to continue working on the response given the complex security situation4 7#g7 ,if the outbreak is not brought under control1 it risks spreading across the border to neighboring countries and endangering millions of people4 7#h7 ,the ,administration released a ,november #bi1 #bjah1 ,presidential ,memorandum implementing aid restrictions to most countries on ,tier ,,iii of the #bjah ,trafficking ,in ,persons 7,,tip7 report that fully restricted non-humanitarian1 non-trade related aid to the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo4 7#i7 ,paragraphs 7#d7 and 7#e7 of section #aaj7;d7 of the ,trafficking ,victims ,protection ,act of #bjjj 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #gajg7;d77#d7 and 7#e77 authorize the continuation of assistance in ,tier ,,iii countries if such assistance is determined to be in the national interest of the ,united ,states4 7#aj7 ,section #aaj7;d77#e77;,b7 of the ,trafficking ,victims ,protection ,act of #bjjj 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #gajg7;d77#e77;,b77 states1 ,the ,president shall exercise the waiver authority under paragraph 7#d7 when necessary to avoid significant adverse effects on vulnerable populations1 including women and children44 7#aa7 ,the ,president has not exercised the waiver authority provided for in section #aaj7;d77#e77;,b7 of the ,trafficking in ,victims ,protection ,act of #bjjj in relation to health1 education1 or community outreach activities essential to the success of the ,ebola response in the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo4 7#ab7 ,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 spreads4 #c4 ,authorization to address the ,ebola outbreak in the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo 7a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding section #aaj of the ,trafficking ,victims ,protection ,act of #bjjj 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #gajg71 the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development shall immediately provide assistance1 including multi-sectoral1 non-humanitarian1 and non-trade related foreign assistance1 to the ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo and other vulnerable countries to effectively combat the ,ebola outbreak that began in ,august #bjah4 ,subject to the availability of appropriations1 such assistance shall be provided at levels commensurate with both the threat posed by the ,ebola outbreak and an effective response4 ,activities to expand and improve access to communities heavily affected by the ,ebola outbreak should be prioritized under this section4 7b7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #cj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 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-- 7#a7 describing the actions the ,administrator has taken and plans to take under section #c7;a7 to end the ,ebola outbreak in eastern ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo2 and 7#b7 proposing any additional legal authorities required to improve the response to the ,ebola outbreak in eastern ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo4 ,june #c1 #bjai,reported with an amendment