II 

Calendar No. 102 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1340 

To authorize activities to combat the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic 

Republic of the Congo, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 7, 2019 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. COONS, and Mr. ISAKSON) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

JUNE 3, 2019 

Reported by Mr. RISCH, 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 Congo, 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 ‘‘Ebola Eradication Act 

5 of 2019’’. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 1340 RS

1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress makes the following findings: 

3 (1) The current Ebola outbreak in the Demo4 cratic Republic of the Congo, which began in August 

5 2018 in eastern Congo, has resulted in 1,554 total 

6 cases, and 1,029 deaths. 

7 (2) Despite the use of preventive tools and new 

8 therapeutics, insecurity and community resistance to 

9 response efforts remain major obstacles to ending 

10 the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Re11 public of the Congo, and the outbreak continues to 

12 spread. 

13 (3) Hospitals, health clinics, and Ebola clinics 

14 have been repeatedly attacked by armed actors. 

15 (4) On February 28, 2019, Doctors Without 

16 Borders suspended its work in Ebola epicenters after 

17 two treatment centers were attacked. 

18 (5) On April 19, 2019, Dr. Richard Valery 

19 Mouzoko Kiboung, an epidemiologist from Cameroon 

20 deployed by the World Health Organization to east21 ern Congo to help stop the outbreak, was killed in 

22 an attack on Butembo University Hospital. 

23 (6) In the wake of Dr. Kiboung’s death, 

24 healthcare workers responding to Ebola have threat25 ened to go on strike unless the Government of the 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 1340 RS

1 Democratic Republic of the Congo takes steps to im2 prove security. 

3 (7) The Administration released a November 

4 29, 2018, Presidential Memorandum implementing 

5 aid restrictions to most countries on Tier 3 of the 

6 2018 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) report that fully 

7 restricted non-humanitarian, non-trade related aid to 

8 the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

9 (8) Section 110(d)(5)(B) of the Trafficking Vic10 tims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 

11 7107(d)(5)(B)) states, ‘‘The President shall exercise 

12 the [waiver] authority under paragraph (4) when 

13 necessary to avoid significant adverse effects on vul14 nerable populations, including women and children.’’. 

15 (9) The President has not exercised the waiver 

16 authority provided for in section 110(d)(5)(B) of the 

17 Trafficking in Victims Protection Act of 2000 in re18 lation to health, education, or community outreach 

19 activities essential to the success of the Ebola re20 sponse in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

21 (10) The United States is a critical partner in 

22 helping the Government of the Democratic Republic 

23 of the Congo end the current outbreak. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 1340 RS

1 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION TO ADDRESS THE EBOLA OUT2 BREAK IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF 

3 THE CONGO. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi5 sion of law, the Administrator of the United States Agency 

6 for International Development is authorized to provide as7 sistance for efforts to combat the Ebola outbreak in the 

8 Democratic Republic of the Congo and, to the extent nec9 essary, in other countries, including assistance intended 

10 to lower community resistance to interventions that the 

11 Administrator assesses will facilitate efforts to combat the 

12 Ebola outbreak. 

13 (b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 30 days 

14 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis15 trator of the United States Agency for International De16 velopment shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Rela17 tions of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

18 of the House of Representatives a report— 

19 (1) describing the actions the Administrator has 

20 taken and plans to take under section 3(a) to end 

21 the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic 

22 of the Congo; and 

23 (2) proposing any additional legal authorities 

24 required to improve the response to the Ebola out25 break in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 1340 RS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ebola Eradication Act 

3 of 2019’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress makes the following findings: 

6 (1) The current Ebola outbreak in the Demo7 cratic Republic of the Congo, which began in August 

8 2018 in eastern Congo, is the second largest in history 

9 and has resulted in over 1,600 cases and 1,000 deaths. 

10 (2) Despite the use of preventive tools and new 

11 therapeutics, insecurity and community resistance to 

12 response efforts remain major obstacles to ending the 

13 current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of 

14 the Congo, and the outbreak continues to spread. 

15 (3) Hospitals, health clinics, and Ebola clinics 

16 have been repeatedly attacked by armed actors. 

17 (4) On February 28, 2019, Doctors Without Bor18 ders suspended its work in Ebola epicenters after two 

19 treatment centers were attacked. 

20 (5) On April 19, 2019, Dr. Richard Valery 

21 Mouzoko Kiboung, an epidemiologist from Cameroon 

22 deployed by the World Health Organization to eastern 

23 Congo to help stop the outbreak, was killed in an at24 tack on Butembo University Hospital. 

25 (6) Healthcare workers responding to Ebola have 

26 expressed concerns about their ability to continue 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 1340 RS

1 working on the response given the complex security 

2 situation. 

3 (7) If the outbreak is not brought under control, 

4 it risks spreading across the border to neighboring 

5 countries and endangering millions of people. 

6 (8) The Administration released a November 29, 

7 2018, Presidential Memorandum implementing aid 

8 restrictions to most countries on Tier III of the 2018 

9 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) report that fully re10 stricted non-humanitarian, non-trade related aid to 

11 the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

12 (9) Paragraphs (4) and (5) of section 110(d) of 

13 the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 

14 U.S.C. 7107(d)(4) and (5)) authorize the continuation 

15 of assistance in Tier III countries if such assistance 

16 is determined to be in the national interest of the 

17 United States. 

18 (10) Section 110(d)(5)(B) of the Trafficking Vic19 tims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 

20 7107(d)(5)(B)) states, ‘‘The President shall exercise 

21 the [waiver] authority under paragraph (4) when 

22 necessary to avoid significant adverse effects on vul23 nerable populations, including women and children.’’. 

24 (11) The President has not exercised the waiver 

25 authority provided for in section 110(d)(5)(B) of the 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
7 

•S 1340 RS

1 Trafficking in Victims Protection Act of 2000 in rela2 tion to health, education, or community outreach ac3 tivities essential to the success of the Ebola response 

4 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

5 (12) It is in the national interest of the United 

6 States to help control and end the current Ebola out7 break in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before 

8 it spreads. 

9 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION TO ADDRESS THE EBOLA OUT10 BREAK IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF 

11 THE CONGO. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 110 of the 

13 Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 

14 7107), the Administrator of the United States Agency for 

15 International Development shall immediately provide as16 sistance, including multi-sectoral, non-humanitarian, and 

17 non-trade related foreign assistance, to the Democratic Re18 public of the Congo and other vulnerable countries to effec19 tively combat the Ebola outbreak that began in August 

20 2018. Subject to the availability of appropriations, such as21 sistance shall be provided at levels commensurate with both 

22 the threat posed by the Ebola outbreak and an effective re23 sponse. Activities to expand and improve access to commu24 nities heavily affected by the Ebola outbreak should be 

25 prioritized under this section. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
8 

•S 1340 RS

1 (b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 30 days 

2 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis3 trator of the United States Agency for International Devel4 opment shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

5 of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 

6 House of Representatives a report— 

7 (1) describing the actions the Administrator has 

8 taken and plans to take under section 3(a) to end the 

9 Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the 

10 Congo; and 

11 (2) proposing any additional legal authorities 

12 required to improve the response to the Ebola out13 break in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
Calendar No. 102 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1340 

A BILL 

To authorize activities to combat the Ebola outand for other purposes. break in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 

JUNE 3, 2019 

Reported with an amendment 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS