WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations Committee Thursday approved an additional $700 million in federal funding for the multi-agency effort to combat the Ebola crisis in West Africa.
Last month, the President requested authority to reprogram $1 billion to go towards the Ebola crisis. Congress initially approved spending $50 million to begin preparations.
But the House committee made approval of additional money contingent on the Pentagon providing it with a detailed plan of how the money would be spent, as well as the how it planned to safeguard military personnel in West Africa.
"A significant component of the President's plan is deployment of thousands of U.S. military personnel. My subcommittee has serious concerns about the safety and security of service members who have and will deploy to Liberia. We have no greater obligation than to ensure their well-being while they act on our behalf," House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen said in a statement.
"The Obama Administration has now provided the outlines of a plan execution – its goals, cost and timeline. While questions remain and while we remain committed to rigorous ongoing oversight as the mission evolves, yesterday's briefing has satisfied our initial request for information – including by setting out a 180 day plan for DOD deployment," Frelinghuysen added.
At least 3,866 people have died of from an outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, according to the World Health Organization. More than 8,000 people are believed to be infected with the deadly virus.