Goodlatte Statement on Internal State Department Document Outlining Proposal to Transport Ebola-Infected Non-Citizens to the U.S. for Treatment
October 29, 2014
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) issued the statement below following the release of an internal State Department document outlining a proposal to transport non-U.S. citizens infected with Ebola to the United States for treatment.
Chairman Goodlatte: “It’s alarming that senior Obama Administration officials so vehemently denied the existence of any plans to transport non-U.S. citizens infected with Ebola to the United States for treatment when a leaked State Department document shows that such a proposal indeed exists and was approved by Obama Administration officials. The internal memo shows that this proposal was approved by several people at the State Department, and possibly even by the official leading the Ebola Coordination Unit at the agency. Unfortunately, this lack of transparency is just another example of the Obama Administration trying to hide its actions from the American people.
“Secretaries Kerry and Johnson still have not responded to my letter inquiring about this proposal. The Obama Administration must be forthcoming with both Congress and the American people about its proposed plans to bring non-U.S. citizens infected with this deadly disease to the United States for medical care.”
Last week, Chairman Goodlatte wrote a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Department of State Secretary John Kerry regarding recent press reports indicating that the Obama Administration plans to allow foreign nationals infected with Ebola to come to the United States for treatment. The House Judiciary Committee has not yet received a response.
Chairman Goodlatte: “It’s alarming that senior Obama Administration officials so vehemently denied the existence of any plans to transport non-U.S. citizens infected with Ebola to the United States for treatment when a leaked State Department document shows that such a proposal indeed exists and was approved by Obama Administration officials. The internal memo shows that this proposal was approved by several people at the State Department, and possibly even by the official leading the Ebola Coordination Unit at the agency. Unfortunately, this lack of transparency is just another example of the Obama Administration trying to hide its actions from the American people.
“Secretaries Kerry and Johnson still have not responded to my letter inquiring about this proposal. The Obama Administration must be forthcoming with both Congress and the American people about its proposed plans to bring non-U.S. citizens infected with this deadly disease to the United States for medical care.”
Last week, Chairman Goodlatte wrote a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Department of State Secretary John Kerry regarding recent press reports indicating that the Obama Administration plans to allow foreign nationals infected with Ebola to come to the United States for treatment. The House Judiciary Committee has not yet received a response.