SAN DIEGO – Today, U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) released the following statement regarding the ongoing Ebola virus outbreak in several Africa countries and the United States.

“The United States cannot continue to be reactionary in our response to the spread of Ebola here at home,” Rep. Peters said. “I am very concerned about infected individuals boarding flights to the United States.

“While the heightened screening at airports that serve 95% of the passengers from countries where Ebola is present is a good first step, we should be considering a travel ban from nations in West Africa who are battling this outbreak. At the very least we must have mandatory screening and quarantine areas available at airport screening centers.

“I am already in contact with area hospitals and health clinics about the protocols they have in place and what more they need from the federal government to detect and combat this deadly virus should it become present locally,” Peters said. He added that raising public awareness of how the virus can and cannot be spread is also important.

Peters continued, “Over the last year and a half I have also been an outspoken advocate for American investment in scientific research. It is funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that allowed local facilities to discover experimental treatments to this deadly epidemic. Over the last decade, funding for basic scientific research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has failed to keep pace with inflation. That has put us at risk, and stunted the ability of our talented researchers to innovate and discover. I will continue my fight to expand funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) above its current level of $30 billion.”

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