Bera Urges Decisive Action to Respond to Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, U.S. Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06), a senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Jim O’Neill urging swift and coordinated action to respond to the growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In the letter, Representative Bera warned that while the outbreak is currently confined to a remote area, it poses a serious threat to regional stability and global health if not immediately contained: 

“The United States must act decisively to stop the outbreak at the source to protect Americans, save lives, and safeguard our economic and security interests,” wrote Representative Bera.

Representative Bera has long advocated for strengthening U.S. leadership in global health security. In 2018, he led letters to the House Appropriations Committee and then-National Security Advisor John Bolton to prevent the rescission of critical Ebola response funds. These efforts helped preserve U.S. Global Health Security programs designed to stop outbreaks abroad before they reach U.S. shores.

“History has shown that fast, coordinated action is the most effective way to contain Ebola,” Bera continued. “Beyond the devastating toll on human health, an uncontrolled outbreak in the DRC could cripple supply chains vital to U.S. interests.”

Representative Bera also laid out a comprehensive list of recommendations for an urgent U.S. response:

• Immediately offer to provide an air bridge to coordinate the delivery of supplies and personnel to the affected region, drawing upon resources from the CDC, the State Department, and the Department of Defense’s Cooperative Threat Reduction program;
• Intensify deployment of congressionally appropriated global health security funds to halt the outbreak at its source;
• Issue a public statement from the White House affirming U.S. commitment to containing the outbreak, reassuring the American public and demonstrating U.S. leadership to allies and partners;
• Brief Members of Congress on the status of the outbreak and on actions requiring swift approval, including:
  • Expansion of community-based surveillance,
  • Increased testing and diagnostics,
  • Strengthened treatment capacity;
• Convene regular policy coordination committee meetings at the National Security Council;
• Establish a dedicated interagency task force, led jointly by the State Department and CDC, to ensure all U.S. actions abroad are harmonized and effective;
• Mobilize vaccines, therapeutics, and other countermeasures through coordination between:
  • HHS’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority,
  • The State Department’s Global Health Security and Diplomacy office,
  • International allies and trusted organizations;
• Activate contact tracing protocols for travelers arriving from affected areas through the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Transportation, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
• Ensure passenger traveler records from affected regions are transmitted promptly to state and local public health officers;
• Prepare to funnel flights from affected regions into six major U.S. airports if the outbreak escalates;
• Maintain regular White House communication with state governors to sustain public trust and ensure domestic preparedness.

You can read the full text of the letter here and below: 

Dear Secretary Rubio and Acting Director O’Neill,

As a Member of Congress and doctor committed to strengthening America’s leadership in global health security, I write with urgency regarding the growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). While currently located in a remote area, the outbreak poses a serious threat to regional stability and global health if not quickly contained. The United States must act decisively to stop the outbreak at the source to protect Americans, save lives, and safeguard our economic and security interests.

History has shown that fast, coordinated action is the most effective way to contain Ebola. In 2018, I led letters to the House Appropriations Committee and then National Security Advisor John Bolton to prevent the rescission of Ebola supplemental funds. These funds supported our U.S. Global Health Security programs that were created to halt outbreaks abroad before they spread and prevent fear and panic at home. Beyond the devastating toll on human health, an uncontrolled outbreak in the DRC could cripple supply chains vital to U.S. interests. Ebola threatens the safety of mining workers, disrupts transport corridors, and endangers the mineral flows that underpin American industries.

A spreading Ebola outbreak could jeopardize peace negotiations and undermine President Trump’s legacy in the region. If the U.S. fails to act, China with its vested interest in rare earth minerals will step into the vacuum. This is a critical opportunity for the United States to support African institutions in leading their own early responses. The U.S. response to this outbreak will be closely watched by allies, adversaries, and the American people alike. Critics have already raised concerns about diminished U.S. capacity to respond to health threats, and the stakes are too high to fail. Our security and economic interests are on the line. 

To address this urgent threat, I urge that the United States immediately offer to provide an air bridge to coordinate the delivery of supplies and personnel to the affected region, drawing upon resources from the CDC, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense’s Cooperative Threat Reduction program. At the same time, it is essential that the State Department and CDC intensify their deployment of congressionally appropriated global health security funds, which were designed precisely to halt outbreaks such as this one at their source and prevent their spread to our shores.

It is equally important that the White House issue a public statement affirming U.S. commitment to containing the outbreak. Such a declaration would reassure the American public, counter potential fear and panic, and demonstrate U.S. leadership to allies and partners. In parallel, I strongly recommend that you brief Members of Congress on the status of the outbreak and on actions requiring swift approval, including measures to expand community-based surveillance, testing, and treatment capacity.

The National Security Council should also convene regular policy coordination committee meetings and establish a dedicated task force, led jointly by State and CDC, to ensure that all U.S. actions abroad are harmonized and effective. HHS’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, working with the State Department’s Global Health Security and Diplomacy office, should coordinate with allies and trusted organizations to ensure that vaccines, therapeutics, and other countermeasures can be mobilized.

Finally, to protect the homeland, DHS, DOT, and CDC must activate contact tracing protocols for travelers arriving from affected areas. CDC should ensure that flight manifests with any travelers from the region are transmitted promptly to state and local public health officers. Although the outbreak remains geographically contained, preparations should be made to funnel flights into six major U.S. airports if conditions deteriorate. Maintaining regular White House communication with potentially affected governors will be essential to sustain public trust and preparedness.

Stopping Ebola in DRC is not just a humanitarian imperative, it is an investment in America’s security, economy, and leadership. I urge you to act with the urgency this crisis demands and stand ready to work with you in Congress to ensure resources and support are available.

Thank you for your leadership at this critical moment.

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