{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://degette.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/ranking-members-degette-pallone-and-waxman-outline-key-questions-on", "Ranking Members DeGette, Pallone, and Waxman Outline Key Questions on Ebola Outbreak", "2014-10-01", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "CO", "Diana DeGette", "D000197", "degette.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON --\u00a0Today Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Diana DeGette, Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr., and full Committee Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman sent a letter to Chairmen Fred Upton, Joe Pitts, and Tim Murphy outlining the key-short term and long-term questions that should be addressed in hearings on Ebola.\u00a0 \u00a0Last month, these members urged Committee leaders to hold a hearing on the Ebola crisis.\nThe members wrote that the emergence of the first case of Ebola diagnosed in the U.S. \u201cshould not be a cause for panic, \u201cbut \u201cshould serve as a wake-up call regarding the need to address the ongoing public health disaster in Africa and to ensure that the domestic public health system is adequately prepared for Ebola cases or for other emerging public health issues.\u201d\nThe full text of the letter is available below and online here.\nOctober 1, 2014\nThe Honorable Fred Upton\nChairman\nCommittee on Energy and Commerce\n2125 Rayburn House Office Building\nWashington, D.C. 20515\n\u00a0\nThe Honorable Joe Pitts\nChairman\nSubcommittee on Health\n2125 Rayburn House Office Building\nWashington, D.C. 20515\n\u00a0\nThe Honorable Tim Murphy\nChairman\nSubcommittee on Oversight & Investigations\n2125 Rayburn House Office Building\nWashington, D.C. 20515\n\u00a0\nDear Chairman Upton, Chairman Pitts, and Chairman Murphy:\nOn September 4, 2014, we requested that the Committee hold a hearing on the Ebola outbreak.\u00a0 We were therefore glad to see your statement yesterday that the Committee will be holding hearings on Ebola in the coming weeks.\u00a0 We look forward to working with you in a bipartisan way on this important public health issue.\nYesterday\u2019s announcement about an Ebola case in the United States should not be cause for panic.\u00a0\u00a0 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal and local public health officials appear to be taking all of the appropriate steps to stop the disease and prevent its spread in our country.\u00a0 Still, there are many questions about the case in Dallas, including how the patient contracted the disease, why the Dallas hospital initially discharged the patient, and what measures are being taken to trace the patient\u2019s contacts.\u00a0 And the emergence of this case of Ebola should serve as a wake-up call regarding the need to address the ongoing public health disaster in Africa and to ensure that the domestic public health system is adequately prepared for Ebola cases or for other emerging public health issues.\nWe should address these issues in a thorough but time-sensitive and appropriate way.\u00a0\u00a0 Our investigation should also be focused to ensure that we are not unnecessarily diverting the time or resources of public health leaders at a critical time.\nWe believe we should address key short-term questions about the response to the crisis, including:\n1.Do CDC, USAID, other public health agencies, and U.S. military forces have adequate funding in place to address the immediate public health crisis in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea?\u00a0\u00a0 How long will this funding last?\n2.Are these agencies coordinating effectively with each other, with public health officials from affected countries, and with public health officials from other countries and non-governmental organizations providing assistance?\u00a0 What other factors may be slowing the pace of delivery of services in the affected countries, and what is needed to overcome these barriers?\n3.Are CDC and other federal, state, and local officials adequately funded to address the costs \u2013 such as tracing, isolating, and diagnosing all potentially affected contacts \u2013 of the Dallas patient or any future potential patients with Ebola in the U.S.?\n4.Are U.S. officials and officials in affecting countries adequately screening travelers to and from Africa to prevent importation of additional cases into the United States?\u00a0 Do Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have needs for additional diagnostic or other tools to prevent individuals with Ebola from entering the U.S. undetected?\n5.Are hospitals and health providers adequately informed of CDC guidelines for assessing and treating potential Ebola patients who seek care?\u00a0\u00a0 Are they following these guidelines?\u00a0 Do they have the equipment and material to effectively isolate patients and handle Ebola-contaminated medical waste?\nWe should also ensure that we are addressing important long-term questions so that we can learn the lessons from this case and improve the public health system\u2019s response to the next outbreak or other public health emergency.\u00a0 These questions include:\n1.How have stagnant or declining budgets for U.S. public health agencies affected their ability to respond in this crisis?\u00a0\u00a0 What budgetary changes are needed to ensure that these agencies have the resources necessary to prevent, detect, and respond to global or domestic public health emergencies?\n2.Are there long-term plans in place to assist in rebuilding the public health systems of affected African countries and to address the secondary economic and humanitarian costs of the outbreak in these countries?\n3.Do the agencies involved in the development of treatments and vaccines for public health emergencies and biological threats \u2013 including the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) \u2013 have the funding necessary to accomplish their goals?\u00a0 Do these agencies have appropriate processes in place to establish priorities for high-risk diseases?\u00a0 Do they have the necessary statutory authority to respond to the need for vaccines and treatments during public health emergencies?\n4.Are federal regulations and policies related to hospitals and other medical facility emergency preparedness adequate to respond in the event of future emergencies?\u00a0 Are such regulations appropriately communicated to facilities and vendors involved in responding to such crises?\u00a0 Are additional tools necessary to improve the capacity of health providers and to ensure that they are following proper guidelines for infectious and emerging diseases like Ebola?\nOur investigation and hearings should be aimed at understanding immediate needs and applying lessons learned to prevent future outbreaks from reaching the magnitude of the current epidemic.\u00a0 We look forward to working with you to meet these goals.\nSincerely,\nHenry A. Waxman\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Frank Pallone, Jr.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Diana DeGette\nRanking Member\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ranking Member\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Ranking Member\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Subcommittee on Health\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://degette.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/ranking-members-degette-pallone-and-waxman-outline-key-questions-on"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.682438887655735, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}