Ander Crenshaw Wants Obama to Show More Leadership on Ebola

U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., offered his take on the Ebola threat on Thursday, calling for President Barack Obama to show more leadership on the issue and supporting a travel ban on impacted African nations.

The growing Ebola crisis in Western Africa, new cases here in the United States, in combination with the virus impact to other countries warrants the highest level of attention across all governments, Crenshaw said. At home, its clear we are not ready and have to do more to stop this deadly disease cold. This is a real threat to our nations health and security; quicker response and better procedures are needed.

Moving forward, President Obama must assure a worried nation that Ebola will spread no further, Crenshaw added. That means a clearer flow of information and stronger display of leadership about how American lives, including front-line health care workers, will be protected. Among the steps he should consider is a temporary travel ban from Western African countries to the United States.

Concerns about the possibility of this sort of outbreak prompted Congress to provide more Centers for Disease Control (CDC) funding than requested, Crenshaw continued. And, this morning, hearings on Capitol Hill have begun. Congress will continue to assess the response to date and how it can be improved, and the House stands ready to act if legislation is needed to counter Ebolas growing threat. We pray for the safety of the U.S. military that has been called into action to stem Ebolas tide and we keep all who are fighting against the ravages of this horrific disease front and center.