1Urging the Congress of the United States to recognize the severe
2threat that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa poses to
3populations, governments and economies throughout the world,
4including the United States, and increase efforts to contain
5and eradicate this disease.

6WHEREAS, Ebola hemorrhagic fever is an extremely infectious
7virus that causes severe illness with a fatality rate that can
8well exceed 50 percent; and

9WHEREAS, Ebola is spread through contact with blood,
10secretions or other bodily fluids of infected humans and animals
11and can have an incubation period of up to 21 days; and

12WHEREAS, The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa is the biggest
13and most complex to date due to its emergence in populated,
14transient border areas, making containment a significant
15challenge; and

16WHEREAS, To date, according to the Centers for Disease
17Control and Prevention, Ebola has infected more than 4,400
18people in West Africa and caused nearly 2,300 confirmed deaths;
19and

1WHEREAS, There have been 3 confirmed cases of Ebola in the
2United States; and

3WHEREAS, Although Ebola can be contained with good public
4health and burial practices, it continues to spread due to a
5lack of accurate public information, sufficient treatment
6facilities and public health information; and

7WHEREAS, Governments are collaborating closely with
8international donors and taking strong measures to contain the
9virus, including announcing states of emergency and establishing
10emergency response centers; and

11WHEREAS, The United States Government has provided more than
12$175 million in support through the Centers for Disease Control
13and Prevention, the United States Agency for International
14Development, the World Health Organization and the United States
15Armed Forces since February 2014, and intends to mobilize
16additional resources and support as announced by President Obama
17on September 16, 2014; and

18WHEREAS, Earlier this year, the United States Government
19joined with partner governments, the World Health Organization,
20other multilateral organizations and nongovernmental actors to
21launch the Global Health Security Agenda, a 5-year commitment to
22prevent, detect and effectively respond to infectious disease
23threats such as Ebola; therefore be it

24RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
25Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
26States to recognize the severe and immediate threat that Ebola
27poses to populations, governments and economies throughout the
28world, including the United States, and to fully support the
29work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the
30United States Agency for International Development, the

1Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human
2Services, the Department of State, the Forest Service and other
3United States Government agencies providing technical,
4logistical and material support to combat this epidemic; and be
5it further

6RESOLVED, That Congress encourage deepened United States and
7international commitments to the global Ebola response and
8support the promotion of investments in global health in order
9to ensure that governments can better prevent and detect,
10contain and eventually eliminate outbreaks of disease while also
11providing other essential health services; and be it further

12RESOLVED, That Congress work with other nations and regional
13organizations to establish institutional emergency response
14systems to more effectively respond to this and future outbreaks
15of Ebola and other highly infectious diseases; and be it further

16RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
17the President of the United States, to the presiding officers of
18each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from
19Pennsylvania.