WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA) released the following statements regarding the ongoing Ebola outbreak. The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing, Examining the U.S. Public Health Response to the Ebola Outbreak, this Thursday, Oct. 16, at 12:00 p.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
“Ebola has been on the world’s radar screen since March and yet the United States and the international community are still scrambling to stay ahead of and stop this outbreak. We remain gravely concerned about this ongoing threat and the committee will continue diligently investigating the response efforts and preparedness plans," said Upton. “The stakes could not be any higher, and as I have said before, we cannot afford to look back at this point in history and say we could have done more."
Murphy added, “Questions continue to emerge as this outbreak has continued, further heightening our concerns about the response and preparedness efforts both at home and abroad. Just a few weeks ago there was an urgent need to quickly stop the spread of Ebola in Africa, but now we also need to assure Americans that we are able to stop the spread here at home. There is no room for error when it comes to Ebola."
A complete witness list for Thursday’s hearing is below.
Dr. Thomas R. Frieden
Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dr. Anthony Fauci
Director
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Dr. Luciana Borio
Assistant Commissioner
Counterterrorism Policy
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Dr. Robin Robinson
Director
Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Mr. John P. Wagner
Acting Assistant Commissioner
Office of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Dr. Daniel Varga
Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Vice President
Texas Health Resources
More background for Thursday’s hearing is available online here. The committee first sent a letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell seeking more information regarding the ongoing Ebola outbreak and preparedness and response efforts at home and abroad on Sept. 12, 2014.
