Marco Rubio Unveils Ebola Travel Ban Bill

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Monday he will introduce a bill imposing a temporary travel ban on Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone nationals due to those nations being impacted by Ebola, shutting down any new visas. Rubio plans to bring up the bill in November when the Senate reconvenes. The measure would end the ban until the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) clears those nations.

While Ebolas deadly reach has proven to be a complex and unique international challenge, the many uncertainties surrounding this virus continue to threaten U.S. national security, said Rubio on Monay. Our biggest priority is ensuring that sufficient safeguards are in place to limit the spread of Ebola, contain it at the source, and protect Americans.

We must take any and all necessary precautions to contain this virus and common sense restrictions on travel from countries now confronting this epidemic is an important step, Rubio continued. The most effective way to combat this deadly virus is to address it at its source. This ban on issuance of visas does not mean we will be completely cutting off the affected countries from the outside world. We must continue to increase our assistance to those countries as they struggle to contain this outbreak. That is, ultimately, the only way we will be able to stop this outbreak and keep Americans safe from this horrible disease.