text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Ebola Emergency Response Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
  
      It is the sense of Congress that--
              (1) the current outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in West 
          Africa poses severe health, economic, and security threats to 
          the countries affected by the outbreak of the Ebola virus 
          disease, the United States, and the broader international 
          community; and
              (2) the whole-of-government response taken by the United 
          States provides unique capabilities that are critical to 
          effectively helping contain the Ebola virus disease in West 
          Africa, yet the United States alone will not succeed in 
          containing the Ebola virus disease.
  
  SEC. 3. STATEMENTS OF POLICY.
  
      It shall be the policy of the United States to--
              (1) support a robust international response to the Ebola 
          virus disease in West Africa by undertaking a range of 
          activities to immediately help detect, contain, treat, and 
          deter the further spread of the disease;
              (2) support the efforts of governments of affected 
          countries and of local, regional, and international 
          nongovernmental organizations and civil society organizations 
          working on the front lines of the response to the Ebola virus 
          disease; and
              (3) work with appropriate security sector personnel engaged 
          in the response to the Ebola virus disease in Guinea, Liberia, 
          and Sierra Leone, as well as with civil society, regional 
          organizations, and the United Nations to enhance border 
          security and create a secure operating environment for health 
          workers and other responders and the communities they are 
          serving, including by repurposing, as necessary and 
          appropriate, existing United States security assistance 
          provided to the affected countries to address immediate border 
          security and law enforcement needs.
  
  SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO CONTROL THE OUTBREAK OF THE EBOLA 
                VIRUS DISEASE.
  
      In carrying out the policy under section 3, the President shall--
              (1) seek to coordinate with the governments of countries of 
          Africa affected by or at risk of being affected by the outbreak 
          of the Ebola virus disease, other donors, the private sector, 
          regional and international financial institutions, local, 
          regional, and international organizations, civil society, and 
          local, regional, and nongovernmental organizations, 
          particularly organizations that possess experience in emergency 
          relief and infection control, to devise and implement a 
          coherent, comprehensive strategy to control the Ebola virus 
          disease and assist affected populations, utilizing all 
          necessary and appropriate assets and capabilities of the United 
          States Government; and
              (2) direct the United States Permanent Representative to 
          the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of the 
          United States at the United Nations to--
                      (A) ensure that the United Nations Mission in 
                  Liberia is fully protecting individuals under its care 
                  from exploitation and abuse, including by soldiers 
                  serving under its command, and, within its capabilities 
                  and in the context of its mandate to help solidify 
                  peace and stability while protecting civilians in 
                  Liberia, plays an active role in the emergency 
                  response, including by providing logistics and 
                  engineering support, as well as securing border 
                  crossings, state institutions, and treatment 
                  facilities, as necessary and appropriate; and
                      (B) ensure that the United Nations Mission for the 
                  Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) plays an effective 
                  role in aligning donors around a single strategic 
                  operating plan to detect, contain, treat, and deter the 
                  further spread of Ebola, and that the associated costs 
                  for its work are offset by decreases elsewhere in the 
                  general budget of the United Nations.
  
  SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY THE OUTBREAK OF THE EBOLA 
                VIRUS DISEASE.
  
      (a) Authorization.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and 
  consistent with the authorities of section 491 of the Foreign 
  Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2292), the President is authorized to 
  provide assistance on an emergency basis to countries directly affected 
  by or at imminent risk of being affected by the outbreak of the Ebola 
  virus disease to effectively address such outbreak, by supporting the 
  activities described in subsection (b).
      (b) Activities Supported.--Activities supported by assistance under 
  subsection (a) are the following:
              (1) The construction, staffing, and equipping of patient 
          isolation and treatment facilities in sufficient numbers to 
          treat infected persons at the most appropriate locations.
              (2) The construction and equipping of laboratories in 
          sufficient numbers to ensure accurate testing for the Ebola 
          virus disease and other infectious diseases, as necessary and 
          appropriate, in as rapid a time frame as possible.
              (3) The provision of vital medical supplies and equipment 
          necessary to contain the outbreak.
              (4) The recruitment and training of local and international 
          staff on effective disease identification, isolation, contact 
          tracing, and care with respect to the Ebola virus disease, 
          especially the proper use of universal precautions, personal 
          protective equipment, and other infection control measures, to 
          minimize transmission.
              (5) The recruitment, training, and equipping of safe burial 
          teams, as necessary, to reduce transmission of the Ebola virus 
          disease.
              (6) The provision of medical evacuations, on a reimbursable 
          basis, for medical and other personnel engaged in the response 
          to the Ebola virus disease who become infected with the 
          disease, as necessary and appropriate.
              (7) The development of an effective public information 
          campaign to help limit the transmission of the Ebola virus 
          disease, utilizing all appropriate means of communication, 
          including digital, print, broadcast communication, and 
          communications through local health care workers, media, 
          schools, civil society organizations, and faith-based and 
          traditional leaders.
              (8) The development and deployment of Ebola diagnostics and 
          surveillance tools, as well as vaccines and treatments as they 
          become available and to the extent possible that such vaccines 
          and treatments adhere to strictly enforced informed consent 
          protocols.
              (9) The provision of emergency food assistance, water and 
          sanitation, shelter, and support for orphans and vulnerable 
          children in communities affected by the Ebola virus disease.
              (10) The provision of technical assistance to strengthen 
          border control, including enhanced health screening at exit and 
          entry points in the region, to be complemented by appropriate 
          health screening at United States ports of entry.
              (11) Activities related to sustainable post-outbreak 
          economic recovery and ensuring the stability of countries 
          affected by the Ebola virus disease.
      (c) Allocation and Reimbursement Among Agencies.--
              (1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the 
          President, acting through the Administrator of the United 
          States Agency for International Development, is authorized to 
          utilize the services and facilities of, or procure commodities 
          from, any agency of the United States Government on a non-
          reimbursable basis, subject to the written consent of the head 
          of such other agency, and notwithstanding any provision of law 
          relating to limitations on the use of authorities or funding of 
          such other agency.
              (2) Congressional notification.--The Administrator shall 
          notify the appropriate committees not later than 15 days after 
          the date on which the authority under paragraph (1) is 
          utilized. Such notification shall include the name of the other 
          agency, the value of such services or facilities utilized, or 
          commodities procured, the affected appropriations accounts, and 
          a justification for the utilization of the authority under 
          paragraph (1).
  
  SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT TO AVOID ECONOMIC 
                COLLAPSE AND ASSIST WITH POST-CRISIS COUNTRIES DIRECTLY 
                AFFECTED BY THE OUTBREAK OF THE EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE.
  
      It is the sense of Congress that the President should work with 
  other donors, including international financial institutions, to 
  encourage such other donors to help the governments of Guinea, Liberia, 
  and Sierra Leone mitigate the risks of economic collapse and related 
  civil unrest by providing appropriate access to emergency grants and 
  financing tools, as necessary and appropriate, to address fiscal issues 
  that are the direct result of the Ebola virus disease crisis, and to 
  assist with post-crisis economic recovery.
  
  SEC. 7. REPORT.
  
      (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date on which 
  the President determines that the Ebola epidemic in West Africa has 
  been effectively contained, the President shall submit to the 
  appropriate congressional committees a report that assesses the United 
  States coordination and response to the Ebola epidemic, including how 
  the authorities provided pursuant to this Act were utilized and lessons 
  learned that may have applications in response to future epidemics.
      (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this section, the 
  term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
              (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
          Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Armed Services, and the 
          Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; 
          and
              (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
          Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Committee on Armed 
          Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
  
  SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry 
  out section 491 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2292) 
  $1,801,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.
target: Ebola Emergency Response Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that:   the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa poses severe health, economic, and security threats to the affected countries, the United States, and the broader international community; and   the whole-of-government response taken by the United States provides capabilities critical to helping contain Ebola in West Africa; yet the United States alone will not succeed in containing it.  Directs the President to:    coordinate with the governments of affected African countries, the private sector, regional and international financial institutions and international organizations, civil society, and nongovernmental organizations to implement a comprehensive Ebola control strategy and assist affected populations; and  use U.S. influence at the United Nations (U.N.) to ensure that the U.N. Mission in Liberia is protecting individuals under its care and playing an active emergency response role, and ensuring that the U.N. Mission for the Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) is playing an effective role in aligning donors around a plan to detect, contain, treat, and deter Ebola's further spread.  Authorizes the President to provide specified emergency assistance to countries directly affected by or at imminent risk of being affected by the Ebola outbreak.  Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should work with other donors, including international financial institutions, to encourage them to: (1) help the governments of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone mitigate the risks of economic collapse and related civil unrest by providing access to emergency grants and financing tools to address fiscal issues that are the direct result of the Ebola crisis; and (2) assist with post-crisis economic recovery. 
feat_title: Ebola Emergency Response Act