WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement in response to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

“I am deeply concerned about the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has already killed 23 people. At the height of the 2014 Ebola crisis, I visited Liberia and witnessed the devastating impact of this virus firsthand. Following reports that the disease has spread to the provincial capital of Mbandaka, it is critical that Congress fight against any proposed budget cuts to global health investments that support pandemic response, vaccine testing and development, and investments in global public health infrastructure. This is a manageable public health crisis that we know how to solve, but doing so requires our focus, our attention, and our resources. I commend the volunteers in the country who are on the front lines and making the life-saving difference; we must ensure that we do our part, too.”

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