II 

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 introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

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’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) The current Ebola outbreak in the Demo9 cratic Republic of the Congo, which began in August 


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

2 cases, and 1,029 deaths. 

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

4 therapeutics, insecurity and community resistance to 

5 response efforts remain major obstacles to ending 

6 the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Re7 public of the Congo, and the outbreak continues to 

8 spread. 

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

10 have been repeatedly attacked by armed actors. 

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

12 Borders suspended its work in Ebola epicenters after 

13 two treatment centers were attacked. 

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

15 Mouzoko Kiboung, an epidemiologist from Cameroon 

16 deployed by the World Health Organization to east17 ern Congo to help stop the outbreak, was killed in 

18 an attack on Butembo University Hospital. 

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

20 healthcare workers responding to Ebola have threat21 ened to go on strike unless the Government of the 

22 Democratic Republic of the Congo takes steps to im23 prove security. 

24 (7) The Administration released a November 

25 29, 2018, Presidential Memorandum implementing 


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1 aid restrictions to most countries on Tier 3 of the 

2 2018 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) report that fully 

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

4 the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

5 (8) Section 110(d)(5)(B) of the Trafficking Vic6 tims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 

7 7107(d)(5)(B)) states, ‘‘The President shall exercise 

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

9 necessary to avoid significant adverse effects on vul10 nerable populations, including women and children.’’. 

11 (9) The President has not exercised the waiver 

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

13 Trafficking in Victims Protection Act of 2000 in re14 lation to health, education, or community outreach 

15 activities essential to the success of the Ebola re16 sponse in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

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

18 helping the Government of the Democratic Republic 

19 of the Congo end the current outbreak. 

20 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION TO ADDRESS THE EBOLA OUT21 BREAK IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF 

22 THE CONGO. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi24 sion of law, the Administrator of the United States Agency 

25 for International Development is authorized to provide asVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:17 May 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 \\ALPHA3\E\BILLS\S1340.IS S1340

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1 sistance for efforts to combat the Ebola outbreak in the 

2 Democratic Republic of the Congo and, to the extent nec3 essary, in other countries, including assistance intended 

4 to lower community resistance to interventions that the 

5 Administrator assesses will facilitate efforts to combat the 

6 Ebola outbreak. 

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

8 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis9 trator of the United States Agency for International De10 velopment shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Rela11 tions of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

12 of the House of Representatives a report— 

13 (1) describing the actions the Administrator has 

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

15 the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic 

16 of the Congo; and 

17 (2) proposing any additional legal authorities 

18 required to improve the response to the Ebola out19 break in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Æ 


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