we now recognize chairman of the mr. upton, for five minutes. >> let me first begin by witnesses and all members, republicans and democrats, for being here today. unusual to convene a hearing in d.c. during this but there is no time to wait. i was glad to see the president campaign trail yesterday to focus on the crisis. people are scared. we need all hands on deck. we need a strategy. and we need to protect the american people, first and foremost. it's not a drill. people's lives are at stake and beenesponse so far has unacceptable. as chairman of this committee, i want to assure the witnesses stand ready to support you in any way to keep americans safe. but we're going to hold your the fire on getting the job done. and in getting it done right. the globals. and health community have so far failed to put in place an effective strategy fast enough to combat the communit current . cdc admitted more could have been done in texas. two health care workers have with ebola, even as nurses and other medical suggest that protocols are

. >> now recognize the chairman of the full committee mr. uptonfor five minutes. >> let me start by thanking our witnesses and all of the republicans and democrats to be here. it is unusual to con vene a hearing in this matter but this capt -- can't -- wait. people are scared. we need all hands on deck. we need a st need and we to protect the american people first for foremost. it isn't a drill but the response so far has been unacceptable. as chairman of the committee, we want to tell the witnesses we sport you in any in keeping americans safe but we will hold your feet to one fire getting the job done and getting the job done right. they have failed to put in a strategy fast enough to combat the current outbreak. the cdc admitted more could have been done in texas. two health care workers have become affected wi ebola even as they suggest protocols are being developed on the fly. and none of us can understand how a nurse ho treated an ebola patient and had a was allowed to fly across the country. we sought de thes for preparedness and response p

mr. uptonfor five minutes. >> i want to thank the witnesses and all members, republicans and democrats, for being here today. unusual to convene a hearing in d.c. during a district work period, but there's no time to wait. i was glad to see the president off the campaign trail yesterday to focus on the crisis. people are scared. we need all hands on deck. we need a strategy. we need to protect the american people. first and foremost. it's not a drill. people's lives are at stake, and the response so far has been unacceptable. as chairman of the committee, i want to assure the witnesses that we stand ready to support you in any way to keep americans safe. we're going to hold your feet to the fire on getting the job done. getting it done right. both the u.s. and the global health community so far fail to put in place an effective strategy fast enough to combat the current outbreak. the cdc admitted more could have been done in texas. two health care workers have become infected with ebola as nurs

. >> we recognize the chairman of the full committee mr. upton for five minutes. >> thank you. let me first begin by thanking our witnesses and all the members, republicans and democrats, for being here today. you know it's unusual to convene a hearing in d.c. during a district, but on this issue there is no times to wait. i was likewise glad to see the president get off the campaign yesterday to foe kiss on the crisis. people are scared. we need all hands on deck. we need a strategy and we need to protect the american people. first and foremost. it's not a drill. people's lives are at stake and the response so far has been unacceptable. as chairman of this committee i want to insure the witnesses we stand ready to support you in any way to keep americans save but we're going to hold your feet to the fire on getting the job done and getting it done right. both the u.s. and the global health community have so far failed to put in place an effective strategy fast enough to combat the current outbreak. the cdc admitted more could have been done in texas. two health care workers ha

. >> i now recognize the gentleman from the full committee, mr. upton, for five minutes. >> thank you. let me first thank all our witnesses, republicans and democrats, for being here today. it is unusual to convene a hearing in d.c. during the district court parade, but there is no time to wait. i was glad to see the president get off the campaign trail yesterday to finally focus on the crisis. people are scared. we need all hands on deck. we need a strategy, and we need to protect the american people, first and foremost. it is not a drill. people's lives are at stake, and the response so far has been unacceptable. as chairman of this committee, i want to assure the witnesses we stand ready to support you in anyway to keep americans tafe safe. we are going to hold your feet to the fire on getting it done and getting it done right. both the u.s. and world health community have failed to put in place standards to combat the current outbreak. the c.d.c. admitted more could have been done in texas. two c.d.c. workers have become infected in texas even as pr

. >> i now recognize the gentleman from the full committee, mr. upton, for five minutes. >> thank you. let me first thank all our witnesses, republicans and democrats, for being here today. it is unusual to convene a hearing in d.c. during the district court parade, but there is no time to wait. i was glad to see the president get off the campaign trail yesterday to finally focus on the crisis. people are scared. we need all hands on deck. we need a strategy, and we need to protect the american people, first and foremost. it is not a drill. people's lives are at stake, and the response so far has been unacceptable. as chairman of this committee, i want to assure the witnesses we stand ready to support you in anyway to keep americans tafe safe. we are going to hold your feet to the fire on getting it done and getting it done right. both the u.s. and world health community have failed to put in place standards to combat the current outbreak. the c.d.c. admitted more could have been done in texas. two c.d.c. workers have become infected in texas even as pr

now recognize chairman of the full committee, mr. upton, for five minutes.first begin by thanking our witnesses and all the members, republicans and for being here today. you know, it's unusual to during a hearing in d.c. this period, but on this issue, there is no time to wait. see thekewise glad to president get off the campaign trail yesterday to finally focus on the crisis. scared.re we need all hands on deck. a strategy, and we need to protect the american people. foremost. it's not a drill. people's lives are at stake and the response so far has been unacceptable. as chairman of this committee, i want to assure the witnesses stand ready to support you in any way to keep americans safe. but we're going to hold your the fire on getting the job done. and getting it done right. globale u.s. and the health community have so far failed to put if place an enoughve strategy fast to combat the current outbreak. the cdc admitted more could have done in texas. two health care workers have become infected with ebola, even other medical personnel suggest that proto

the committee is currently chaired by fred upton of michigan, and mr. waxman of california is the ranking democratic member. there are many areas where we work together, and i hope that the public recognizes that that is the case. certainly, this legislation, bipartisan in nature in the house, but also in the senate under the leadership of amy an example of how we can and should work together. >> i want to pick up on something you said earlier, which is that congress needs to keep up on technology. is congress keeping up on technology? >> yes, i think congress is keeping up on technology. that does not mean we will not have to continue to keep up with technology, because technology advances so quickly. but i think it is the responsibility of the energy and commerce committee to take the lead in this regard. staff.rely on expert we also allow the testimony of those who appear before us in the technology area. and we want to make sure that the united states continues to be the leader in the world in technology. and the various centers of that. i live outs

mr. chairman. to frieden, you just said chairman upton that we cannot have flight restrictions because of a porous border. worry abouto having an unsecured northern and southern border? >> i was referring to the border of the three countries in africa -- >> you're referring to that border and on our porous border. would it help if we eliminated legal entry? >> we are going to ask them their travel history, where they are coming from, how they arrived -- sufficient.no was dr. frieden, i would remind you a week before last at the cdc, and i thank you for allowing me to follow-up on some of our committee work, that i recommended a quarantine in the affected region and hold people there. i still think that is something that we should consider. daysntining people for 21 before they leave, it helps every country. i want to go back to an issue that you and i have talked about at the cdc and in a subsequent phone call, and that is the medical waste. u.s. shortly that standard protocols were being followed for disposal of this waste. we know that 20, 25 years ago, hospitals could incinerate their waste. ep

mr. chairman. i would like to stay with what chairman upton was talking about on the travel restriction. the secretary of health and human services under the public health service act has the authority to issue a travel restriction. under the pandemic plan that was adopted in 2005, the president has the ability to issue a travel restriction. 2005 was geared toward the pandemic avian influenza but was amended in july of this year to include the hem more rajjic fever. i believe that authority very clearly exists. the question is why the executive branch and agency will not exercise that authority? mr. chairman, i think perhaps this committee should consider forwarding to the full house a request that we have a vote on a travel restriction because people are asking us to do that and i think it is -- they are exactly correct to make that request. dr. frieden, the first nurse who was infected over the weekend is now being transferred away from presbyterian. and yet her condition has been reported in the news media as she is stable and she has been improving. so is the reason that she is havin

the committee is currently chaired by fred upton of michigan and mr.washington of california is the ranking democratic member. there are many instances where we work together and i hope that the public recognizes that is the case and certainly this legislation bipartisan in nature here in the house but also in the senate under the leadership of amy klobuchar i think is an example of how we can and should work together. >> host: i want to pick up on something you said earlier which is congress needs to keep up on technology. is congress keeping up on technology or the potential rules? >> guest: yes, yes i think congress is keeping up on technology. that doesn't mean that we will not have to continue to keep up on technology because technology advances so quickly but i think it is the responsibility of the energy and commerce committee to take the lead in this regard. we rely on extra staff. we also rely on the testimony of those who appear before us and in the technology area. we want to make sure that the united states continues to be the leader in the

mr. chairman. >> thank you, doctor. now i recognize dr. robinson for five minutes. we'll hear your statement. >> good afternoon, chairman murphy, chairman upton, ranking members. and other distinguished members of the subcommittee. thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today about our efforts by the government on ebola. i am dr. robin robinson a former vaccine developer in the industry and for last 10 years a public servant working on pandemic preparedness and many other bio threats. barta was prepared in 2006 as the government agency responsible for supporting advanced developments and brodeur. of novel and innovate he measures such as vaccines, therapeutic drugs, diagnostics and medical devices for the entire nation. barda exists to address the medical consequences of bio threats and emerging infectious diseases. it has supported man-made threats on a routine basis under project bio and responded to emerging threats. pan dekanich thousand nine and the influenza in china last year. today we are emersed in respond to go ebola which is a bio threat with a material threat issued by the department of homeland secure and i an emerging i

mr. chairman. i want to be sure i heard right. you said to chairman upton that we cannot have flight restrictions because of a porous border. do we need to worry about having an unsecure southern and northern border? is that a part of the problem? >> referring to the border of the three countries in africa. >> oh, referring to that border, not our porous border. mr. wagner, help you all, border patrol, to secure the southern board r and eliminated illegal entry. >> travel is coming across southern border like northern border. we'll ask travel history, where they are coming from, how hay arrived in the country there. >> yes or no was sufficient. i need to move on. i want to come back to remind you that a week before last at the cdc, and i thank you for letting me come down to follow up with you on committee work, that i recommended a quarantine in the affected region and hold people there, and i think that is something that he we should consider. quarantine people for 21 days before they leave that region. that helps every country. going back to an issue you

mr. chairman. >> we'll start with secretary burwell. >> thank you, chairman upton and representative degette forwith all of you. that's why i'm here today. while i'm sorry i won't be able to stay, dr. collins and dr. hamburg, two of our best at hhs will ably represent us. but i wanted to come because of what you both said. the importance -- i'm here today because we want to be your partner in making something go forward. i'm a big believer that if we're going to deliver impact, we have to start by building the strong relationships. that means listening to the experts we have and listening together and being responsive as we work together for meaningful solutions. i want to just first thank you for what you all did in terms of bringing everyone together, but this committee has also done important work previously in this space with fda and our user fee legislation. these roundtables are an excellent way to continue making some of the progress that we've already made. when we watch a loved one who is taken by alzheimer's or als, we all want the same things, the most effective treatments, the ground

mr. chairman. >> thank you. dr. robinson? >> good afternoon, chairman durfee, chairman upton, and others of the subcommittee. thank you for the opportunity to speak today by the efforts on the ebola. i am dr. robertson, a former vaccine developer, and i have been working on pandemic and bio threats. is the government agency responsible for supporting advanced development and procurement of novel countermeasures such as vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and medical devices for the entire nation. barda exists to address consequences of violence rates best of bio threats. it supports development for man-made threats on a routine basis to respond to emerging like h1n1. today we are responding to ebola . said, when it comes to ebola, the best way to protect our country is to address the current epidemic in africa. barda works with partners to transition the countermeasures from early development into advanced the moment towards ultimate fda approval. since 2006 we have built an advanced pipeline of more than 150 countermeasures for threats. have of these products been fda approved in the last two years, and today we

mr. chairman. i appreciate your holding this hearing. i've talked to a number of health care professionals and listening to the panel as well. i want to join with chairman uptonin urging the president to immediately issue a travel ban until such time as they can firmly and scientifically prove that americans are safe from having more ebola patients coming into the united states. i know, dr., you expressed disagreement with that. have you all had any conversations within the white about a travel ban and whether or not the president has the authority? many of us have said the president does have the authority to do it today. >> from the point of view of cdc, we are willing to consider anything -- >> have you considered an have you ruled it out, or have you not considered it at all? have you had conversations with the white house about a travel ban? it is a yes or no question. conversations with the white house about a travel than? >> we have had discussions on the issue of travel >> have you ruled it out? if you are in those conversations, maybe they had their own conversation about you, but if you were involved in conversations with the white house about a tra

mr. upton. initialling a arguments other than the -- but i don't know that we need to hear more about those things. i don't want to cut you off because there is something critical that you vpt gotten to. probably more time you will get in the supreme court. >> i can also assure you, if and when you get to the supreme court, you won't see two of these things. >> thank you. >> we will hear you on rebuttal. i don't know that you're limited to 2 minutes in light all that's been said. at the same time, we've add very thorough discussion of the issue i believe. so i hope you can be relatively brief and speak only to point you haven't had an opportunity to address so far. with that, go ahead. >> of course. just a few point. that doctrine is not a game of gotcha with congressional intent. there is always an official interpret talgs of statute congress was aware of and on the basis of. that. the case here. many members of congress did not know of the program. they weren't allowed to discuss it with colle

mr. upton. initialling a arguments other than the -- but i don't know that we need to hear more about those things. i don't want to cut you off because there is something critical that you vpt gotten to. probably more time you will get in the supreme court. >> i can also assure you, if and when you get to the supreme court, you won't see two of these things. >> thank you. >> we will hear you on rebuttal. i don't know that you're limited to 2 minutes in light all that's been said. at the same time, we've add very thorough discussion of the issue i believe. so i hope you can be relatively brief and speak only to point you haven't had an opportunity to address so far. with that, go ahead. >> of course. just a few point. that doctrine is not a game of gotcha with congressional intent. there is always an official interpret talgs of statute congress was aware of and on the basis of. that. the case here. many members of congress did not know of the program. they weren't allowed to discuss it with colle