Congressman Leonard Lance (R-N.J.), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, called for President Barack Obama to consider a temporary ban on U.S. travel to and from West African countries.
The call for the travel ban came following media reports that Amber Vinson, a health care worker infected with Ebola, took a commercial flight from Dallas to Cleveland and back to Dallas. In media reports, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Tom Frieden said Vinson should not have been on the flight.
In a release, Lance stated that while he has confidence in the United States’ medical infrastructure, he and his constituents are concerned about the federal response to the Ebola outbreak to date.
“Every agency involved must be held accountable, and I am confident that the House stands ready to act in a bipartisan capacity if federal officials are unable to address the Ebola threat aggressively and effectively,” he said.
Along with the travel ban, Lance called for suspending visas for travelers from Ebola-stricken areas until the outbreak is under control.
“Ultimately, the best way to defeat this outbreak is at its source and I am confident that members of Congress will work with the Administration on appropriate policy options that will help slow and eventually halt the spread of Ebola both internationally and here at home,” he said.