(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on news that President Obama has appointed Ron Klain as his Ebola response coordinator:
I applaud the President's appointment of Ron Klain to coordinate Federal response efforts to contain the Ebola virus in the United States and West Africa. I do not question Mr. Klain's competency and will do all I can to assist him in his efforts; however, I must acknowledge a more comprehensive approach would be to appoint a Special Assistant to the President for Biodefense to coordinate Federal efforts on all biothreats confronting the nation. This approach has received bipartisan support through both legislative and oversight efforts, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that the position of Special Assistant to the President for Biodefense is re-established so there will already be a person in charge the next time a national response to an infectious disease is mobilized.
