II 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2953 

To prohibit an alien who is a national of a country with a widespread 

Ebola virus outbreak from obtaining a visa and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 20, 2014 

Mr. RUBIO (for himself, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. THUNE, and Mr. 

KIRK) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To prohibit an alien who is a national of a country with 

a widespread Ebola virus outbreak from obtaining a visa 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Keeping America Safe 

5 from Ebola Act of 2014’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) COVERED ALIEN.—The term ‘‘covered 

9 alien’’ means an alien— 


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1 (A) who is— 

2 (i) a national of a designated country; 

3 or 

4 (ii) a resident of a designated country; 

5 and 

6 (B) whose last habitual residence, or last 

7 habitual residence prior to residence in the 

8 United States if the alien is seeking to reenter 

9 the United States, was a designated country. 

10 (2) DESIGNATED COUNTRY.—The term ‘‘des11 ignated country’’ means a country that the Director 

12 has designated as a country with widespread trans13 mission of the Ebola virus. 

14 (3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

15 the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 

16 Prevention. 

17 (4) UNITED STATES.—The term ‘‘United 

18 States’’ has the meaning given that term in section 

19 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 

20 U.S.C. 1101(a)). 

21 SEC. 3. TEMPORARY BAN ON VISAS FOR RESIDENTS OF 

22 COUNTRIES WITH WIDESPREAD TRANS23 MISSION OF THE EBOLA VIRUS. 

24 (a) IN GENERAL.— 


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1 (1) INELIGIBILITY FOR VISAS.—A covered alien 

2 is ineligible to receive a visa from the Secretary of 

3 State or otherwise be admitted to the United States. 

4 (2) INELIGIBILITY TO ENTER.— 

5 (A) IN GENERAL.—A covered alien is ineli6 gible to enter the United States if the alien was 

7 lawfully present in the United States, departed 

8 the United States and visited a designated 

9 country, and is seeking to reenter the United 

10 States. 

11 (B) REVOCATION OF VISA.—Beginning on 

12 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec13 retary of State shall revoke the visa of each cov14 ered alien described in subparagraph (A). 

15 (b) EXCEPTION FOR AID WORKERS.—Subsection (a) 

16 shall not apply to an individual who is authorized by the 

17 Administrator of the United States Agency for Inter18 national Development to travel to or reside in a designated 

19 country to provide assistance related to the Ebola out20 break. 

21 (c) EXCEPTION FOR NATIONAL SECURITY.—Sub22 section (a) shall not apply to an individual who is author23 ized by the Secretary of Defense to travel to the United 

24 States for necessary training. 


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1 (d) CONSTRUCTION.—Subsection (a) shall not be 

2 construed to require the Secretary of State or the Sec3 retary of Homeland Security to revoke the visa of a cov4 ered alien who— 

5 (1) is lawfully present in the United States pur6 suant to that visa; and 

7 (2) does not depart the United States during 

8 the term of that visa. 

9 SEC. 4. REPORTS. 

10 Not later than 30 days after the date of the enact11 ment of this Act, and every 30 days thereafter during the 

12 period the provisions of this Act are in effect, the Presi13 dent shall submit to Congress a report on the spread of 

14 the Ebola virus. Each such report shall include— 

15 (1) the status of the Ebola virus outbreak in 

16 each designated country and the progress made 

17 since the last reporting period to contain the out18 break; 

19 (2) a description of the United States assist20 ance to each designated country to combat the Ebola 

21 virus and any changes made to levels of assistance 

22 as a result of the evolving situation since the last re23 port; and 


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1 (3) the reasons that a complete ban on travel 

2 to and from designated countries would not be in the 

3 national interest of the United States. 

4 SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE PERIOD. 

5 The provisions of this Act shall be in effect until the 

6 date that is 60 days after the date the Director certifies 

7 that there are no longer any designated countries. 

Æ 


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