National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2027

Floor Speech

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Mr. AMO. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 8595.

This disastrous bill doesn't just turn America's back on the world. It makes Americans less safe and more vulnerable to disease.

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda has taken more than 700 lives and infected more than 1,900 people. American citizens have already been infected, and the outbreak will spread if we fail to contain it.

Republicans' solution? Ban the United States from supporting the World Health Organization, the group coordinating the response to the Ebola outbreak.

The story of outbreaks fueled by Republican shortsighted cuts does not end there. Here at home, we are responding to a growing cyclospora outbreak that has sickened more than 1,600 people across more than 30 States, with thousands more cases under investigation.

Public health officials are still working to identify the source of the outbreak. They are facing an uphill battle thanks to Trump and Republicans' deep cuts to the CDC's public health workforce and the program that monitors foodborne illness.

The cause and effect is clear. When Republicans slash public health funding and stop monitoring the spread of disease, Americans get sick.

For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill.

My amendment would strike provisions that prohibit U.S. participation in international public health efforts through the World Health Organization and the pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response accord.

Disease prevention and surveillance at home and abroad protect American families. Infectious diseases do not stop at borders. We are safest when we work with partners around the world to detect outbreaks early, share information, and respond before disease reaches our borders.

Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of my amendment.

Mr. Amo moves to recommit the bill H.R. 8595 to the Committee on Appropriations with the following amendment:

On page 212, strike lines 10 through 17.

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Mr. AMO. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit.

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