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MANHATTAN, KAN. – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee, issued the following statement regarding the Administration’s appointment of an Ebola Response Coordinator:
“Without the right person in charge, I am concerned the President’s appointment of a political ally will only add to the bureaucratic inefficiencies that have plagued Ebola response efforts thus far. He must be able to cut through red tape and make unbiased decisions across multiple agencies – the buck has to stop with him. Unfortunately, the White House is treating this critical role like an appointment to be the ‘Green-Jobs Czar’ or a ‘Great Lakes Czar’ – political operatives with titles – not handling it with the seriousness it deserves.
“This is a real crisis and worthy of an individual with extensive background in international diplomacy, experience coordinating large-scale interagency missions, as well as a proven ability to work with Congress and across the aisle. The stakes are high and Americans need confidence that their government is working in their best interest.”
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MANHATTAN, KAN. – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee, issued the following statement on his support of travel restrictions:
“While the Administration assured Americans that our public health infrastructure was ready to handle Ebola, unfortunately reality has shown we still have a lot of work to do. All options should be on the table to keep Americans safe from disease, which is why I support travel restrictions on commercial airline passengers traveling from nations afflicted by Ebola. Travel restrictions will also give us time to make certain our hospitals are procedurally ready to handle Ebola patients. Coordination with the proper agencies to make certain that medical personnel and supplies can still come in and out of West Africa is critical.”
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Sen. Moran Visits KU Hospital to Discuss Ebola
Oct 16 2014
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee, visited The University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., and continued his tour of Kansas’ 128 community hospitals to learn more about how Kansas hospitals plan to care for and isolate patients who may present themselves with Ebola symptoms.
Last week, The University of Kansas Hospital had isolated and treated a patient who had presented himself with Ebola symptoms. The patient has since gone through two confirmatory tests to rule out Ebola.
At the KU Hospital, Sen. Moran was given a demonstration on how nurses and physicians properly utilized Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), as well as how the hospital will care for future patients who may present with Ebola symptoms.
During a press conference with The University of Kansas Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lee Norman, Sen. Moran discussed his appreciation for the care and abundance of caution used by the staff, nurses and physicians; support of a travel ban on commercial airline passengers traveling from nations afflicted by Ebola; and his efforts to hold a Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee Hearing on the domestic implications of Ebola.
Please see below excerpts from the press conference:
On The University of Kansas Hospital
“It’s great to see that they did so well under difficult circumstances. It’s very comforting for me as a Kansan to know that the KU Hospital is here and the ability of facility, personnel and staff… who are willing to care for people who have illnesses. One of the reasons I’m here today is to meet those who staff members and thank them for doing their job so well. The other reason is related to my job as a United States Senator.
“I wanted to be here today to know what’s going on front and center here as we try to care for patients who may present themselves with symptoms that would suggest Ebola. And then as equally important, to make certain that the rest of the public has a sense of confidence in that ability and that public health and welfare is protected.”
On a Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee Hearing
“Our committee held a hearing a little more than a month ago in Washington, D.C. on the topic of Ebola, but things have changed in my view significantly since that hearing occurred. Then the focus was on West Africa. Now, we know with presentations here in the United States, certainly in Dallas, this is an issue that has domestic implications for the health and well-being of Americans.”
On his support of a travel ban on commercial airline passengers traveling from nations afflicted by Ebola
“I believe from the beginning and continue to believe today that containing Ebola in West Africa is the best defense for the public health of the citizens of the United States. We need to have stepped up efforts in securing the safety of travel into the United States.”
On need for effective interagency coordination
“Most public health efforts are accomplished by states across the country. Every state has a public health department that is responsible for the health in the communities of their state for their citizens. Where the federal government plays a critical role is making certain that information is provided – the latest protocols, the latest scientific information, the latest medical information. There is also a significant federal role in securing the safety of travel into the United States. This is certainly a CDC issue in the sense that it provides the medical and scientific information, but it is also a U.S. Department of Transportation and Homeland Security issue of how to secure the borders and avoid a disease intentionally or unintentionally being brought to the United States. Those efforts need to be enhanced.”
YOUTUBE: Click here to watch the clip on YouTube.
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MANHATTAN, KAN. – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee, issued the following statement regarding the isolated patient at The University of Kansas Hospital:
“While it is good news that the preliminary test results are negative, a possible patient with Ebola in Kansas is a serious development and reiterates the need for us to heighten coordination and vigilance. I have spoken with hospital administrators who will continue to treat the isolated patient with an abundance of caution. I have also asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to expedite the confirmatory test to definitively rule out any possibility of Ebola. I will continue to be in touch with The University of Kansas Hospital and the CDC to monitor the situation.”
On Oct. 6, 2014, Sen. Moran called on the CDC to implement Ebola-specific screenings at U.S. airports. On Oct. 1, 2014, Sen. Moran issued a statement on the United States’ response to the nation’s first Ebola case.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today expressed concern to the Obama Administration that federal regulations for health care facilities do not adequately consider their impact on rural communities. A bipartisan group of 33 other senators joined Sen. Moran in this letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Director Marilyn Tavenner.
In the letter, senators pressed CMS for details about how the agency is incorporating rural health care experts in the regulatory rule-making process. Noting that federal health regulations frequently do not adequately reflect the reality of health delivery in rural areas, the senators called on CMS to explain its process for accounting for the rural impact of such regulations as well as its engagement with rural health stakeholders during rulemaking.
“We remain concerned these policy decisions do not reflect the reality of providing care in rural communities, and we request additional details on these consultation efforts in advance of future rulemaking,” the letter reads. “The proportion of elderly rural Americans continues to grow, and even small policy changes or incremental payment adjustments have a significant impact on access to care in rural areas. Medicare beneficiaries should be able to obtain care within their own communities when possible, and we are committed to ensuring federal policies recognize and incorporate the unique challenges rural providers face.”
Click here to view the letter sent on Oct. 9, 2014 to CMS Administrator Tavenner. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) and the American Hospital Association (AHA) both support the letter.
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MANHATTAN, KAN. – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee, issued the following statement after learning the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to implement Ebola-specific screenings at high-traffic U.S. airports:
“On Monday, I called on the CDC to implement new Ebola-specific screenings at U.S. airports. I am pleased to learn today that enhanced screening measures will be implemented at high-traffic U.S. airports. Given Ebola’s long incubation period, entry screenings are not the full solution, but this is a step in the right direction. As we work to fight Ebola abroad, we also must make certain our homeland is protected.”
On Oct. 6, 2014, Sen. Moran called on the CDC to implement Ebola-specific screenings at U.S. airports.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), member of the Senate Banking Committee, called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) this week in a letter demanding answers regarding a DOJ-led effort that is negatively impacting law-abiding and legitimate businesses by choking them off from the banking sector, known as “Operation Choke Point.” The letter, signed by several Senate Banking Committee Republicans including Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), raises concerns that the DOJ operation is inappropriately targeting certain business models and is politicizing the payment system and access to credit markets.
“The Obama Administration’s use of financial regulators to harass industries it dislikes sets a troubling precedent,” Sen. Moran said. “Rather than discussing the underlying concerns that led the Department of Justice to launch Operation Choke Point, this Administration has chosen to circumvent the process, using its tremendous power to pursue what looks to be a political agenda. It’s time for our questions to be answered so that lawful American businesses can get back to working without fear of an unaccountable federal bureaucrat.”
Late last summer, news reports surfaced regarding Operation Choke Point and how it has been targeting certain industries’ ability to access banking services and the payments system without first demonstrating that a company is breaking the law. The effort is causing banks to deny or terminate credit lines, close bank accounts, and prevent payment processing due to fear of DOJ subpoenas or unjustified regulatory action by federal banking regulators. The senators request the Department to provide information regarding the legality of Operation Choke Point, how the Department is working with the financial regulators to carry out its objectives, and what steps it plans to take in order to provide market clarity in light of the operation.
Full text of the letter is below. To view a signed copy of the letter, click here.
October 6, 2014
The Honorable Eric Holder
Attorney General
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530
Dear Attorney General Holder:
We write to express our strong concerns regarding “Operation Choke Point” and its impact on merchants, financial institutions, and consumers. Specifically, Operation Choke Point is inappropriately targeting business models not supported by the Administration and is politicizing the payment system and access to credit markets. The result is causing banks and payment processors to deny or terminate loans and restrict access to payment systems for law-abiding and legitimate businesses to avoid unwarranted investigations and legal actions by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and Federal financial regulators.
Last summer, news reports surfaced regarding a DOJ-led initiative (named “Operation Choke Point”) with other members of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), the Federal Trade Commission(“FTC”), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”)) to crack down on mass frauds. As part of Operation Choke Point, rather than initiating cases against specific bad actors, these Federal agencies devised a list of certain “high-risk merchant” categories with the intent of “choking-off” these merchants’ access to payment systems and banking services. This list appears to have been created with no public input, no compliance guidance or metrics for private entities to follow, and with disregard for the legality of a merchant’s operation. Further, the list has been used as a pretext by DOJ to limit essential banking services for industries out of favor by this Administration.
According to constituents who have been affected by Operation Choke Point as well as news reports and documents obtained by Congress, banks and payment processors believed that if they did business with small businesses on that list they would face heightened regulatory scrutiny, including potentially being penalized in banking examinations and subject to subpoenas and enforcement actions by the DOJ. We understand that these concerns have caused law-abiding and legitimate gun store owners and short-term, small-dollar credit lenders to lose access to payment systems and basic banking services. In addition, small and community banks have lost valuable customers merely because their legal businesses are disfavored by Federal agencies, while consumers have lost access to merchants they need and value.
Last month, at the urging of many members of Congress, the Federal financial regulators updated regulatory guidance and retracted the list of “high-risk merchant” categories. This is an encouraging first step. However, it will be important to monitor how this new guidance is implemented at the bank examiner level and in the selection of enforcement actions by the regulators.
It is now imperative that the DOJ also revise its implementation of Operation Choke Point. To date the DOJ has implemented Operation Choke Point by relying on a highly-questionable interpretation of the Financial Institution Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (“FIRREA”) to investigate banks and payment processors and hold them liable for alleged wrong-doings of their merchant customers. The DOJ must focus on combating fraud and stop politicizing its enforcement policies. It should promptly cease seeking to use subpoenas and legal actions to unfairly impose liability on parties not involved in fraud and to put out of business merchants engaged in legal and legitimate commerce that DOJ disfavors.
As members of the Senate Banking Committee, which is responsible for oversight of financial regulation, we have a responsibility to fully understand and review DOJ’s implementation of Operation Choke Point. The Committee has previously requested information about Operation Choke Point. Unfortunately, your June 24th letter to the Senate Banking Committee did not satisfactorily address our concerns. Accordingly, we request that you provide us with the following information:
- A detailed explanation and guidance on how FIRREA and other laws will be enforced as part of Operation Choke Point and similar initiatives, including how reputational risk concerns will be addressed.
- Please provide all communications between the DOJ and each Federal financial regulator (including the FDIC, the FTC, and the OCC) concerning the development and implementation of Operation Choke Point and similar initiatives.
- Please identify the number of referrals or informal “tips” that each Federal financial regulator (including the FDIC, the FTC, and the OCC) has made to the DOJ as a part of Operation Choke Point and similar initiatives or that has resulted in a FIRREA investigation.
- Please describe the steps the DOJ will take to refocus its implementation of Operation Choke Point in light of the new regulatory guidance.
We respectfully request all responsive information be provided to us by November 2, 2014.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) called on Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Chuck Hagel to define the campaign and authorization of military force in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) as 500 soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division headquarters – The Big Red One – of Fort Riley, Kan., prepare to deploy to Iraq.
Sen. Moran expressed concern about DoD’s plan to ensure the safety and security of Big Red One soldiers and other U.S. military forces when the roles, missions and objectives of the United States in Iraq are still being determined. In the absence of a defined operational campaign, U.S. military forces may not be appropriately recognized for their participation and service in these ongoing operations.
“When sending soldiers into harm’s way, a clear path and plan should be defined,” Sen. Moran said in the letter. “Their desire to serve should be matched by the Administration’s desire to define their roles and missions against a legal framework that authorizes their service in defense of our country.”
On Sept. 25, 2014, DoD announced that 500 Big Red One soldiers will deploy to Iraq in late October. According to the division, the soldiers will increase the United States’ capacity to target the Islamic State and coordinate activities of the U.S. military across Iraq as part of a one-year mission.
Full text of the letter is below. To view a signed copy of the letter, click here.
October 7, 2014
The Honorable Chuck Hagel
Secretary of Defense
1400 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301
Dear Secretary Hagel,
Although the Department of Defense has yet to define the ongoing operations in Iraq and Syria that you recently described as still in their infancy, the Department is sending 500 soldiers from the “Big Red One,” 1st Infantry Division from Fort Riley, Kansas, to establish a division headquarters in Iraq for the first time since the 2011 withdrawal of U.S. forces. I am deeply concerned about the Department’s plan to ensure the safety and security of Big Red One soldiers and other U.S. military forces when the roles, missions and objectives of the United States in Iraq are still being determined. I am also troubled by the Department’s mixed messages over the last several days with regard to clearly defining the campaign of operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria in order to dutifully recognize the service of participating U.S. military forces.
As you know, soldiers from the Big Red One will be the first among the U.S. military outside the scope of special operators currently serving in an advisory capacity to the Iraqi and Kurdish forces. Last week, my staff requested more information as to the roles, responsibilities and missions assigned to the Big Red One upon their deployment to Iraq and other areas in the Middle East. Of these 500 soldiers, I understand that approximately 200 will be based at U.S. Joint Operations Centers (JOCs) in Baghdad and the Kurdish capital of Irbil. However, media reports quote Pentagon press secretary, Rear Adm. John Kirby, stating that they will not “embed” or serve as advisors within the Iraqi and Kurdish headquarters. If Big Red One soldiers are not in advisory roles, then it would seem they are not a part of the 1,600 military personnel authorized by President Obama to serve as advisors to the Iraqi National Security forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga. This disparity in defining their role gives me great concern and merits a need for explanation:
- What missions are assigned to the 200 or more Big Red One soldiers in Baghdad and Irbil as part of the ongoing operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria?;
- Does the President have the authority to assign missions outside of advisory role?; and
- Please describe the missions of the Big Red One soldiers not based on the JOCs in Baghdad and Irbil.
Understanding the roles and missions for the Big Red One and other U.S. military forces deployed in the fight against ISIS is increasingly troublesome because of the back-and-forth messaging from the Department of Defense about this untitled and undefined campaign.
On Thursday, October 2, 2014, a Pentagon spokesman announced that U.S. forces would become eligible for honors and service medals by considering the missions in Iraq as part of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), which began thirteen years ago today, October 7, 2001, and continues to define our nation’s war in Afghanistan. Yet, the Pentagon seemingly reversed this statement yesterday declaring that decisions had not yet been made to determine the recognition of those participating in this campaign. It seems the Administration and the Department of Defense are caught in a precarious situation that leads to a number of questions about the President’s authority to continue the use of military force in a to-be-determined operation. If considered an extension of our current war in Afghanistan with OEF, then these operations are more than just a conflict as the President suggests. It is my belief that this campaign is an entirely new operation against a growing army of terrorists. The President must seek Congressional approval in defining these operations and the use of military force. The back-and-forth messaging clearly draws attention to the Administration’s haphazard planning, which wrongs our U.S. forces who deserve proper credit and recognition when they readily serve our country.
When sending soldiers into harm’s way, a clear path and plan should be defined for their service and sacrifice. Their desire to serve should be matched by the Administration’s desire to define their roles and missions against a legal framework that authorizes their service in defense of our country. I request a response by October 21, 2014 that describes the roles and missions of the Big Red One as mentioned above and a specific explanation defining the campaign and authorization that describes the use of military force in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Sincerely,
Senator Jerry Moran
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Health Care Subcommittee, and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), House Appropriations Subcommittee Member, called on President Obama to designate a single, senior advisor responsible for coordinating all U.S. agencies and policies involving the international and domestic response to Ebola. They have concerns that a clear organizational structure and chain of command for this interagency mission has not been established and explained by the Administration.
As members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, Sen. Moran and Rep. Wolf want to make certain resources are allocated as efficiently as possible across the agencies responsible for the Ebola response in West Africa and disease control activities at home.
Click here or see below for the full text of the letter:
October 6, 2014
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is a health crisis of massive proportions. You have announced a government-wide response to address this crisis and help Africans before it becomes a threat to the United States. This requires a global response and the U.S. needs to provide the necessary leadership to control and eliminate this outbreak. We believe it is imperative that you designate a single, senior advisor who will be responsible for coordinating all U.S. agencies and policies involving the international and domestic response to Ebola.
As members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, we want to make sure resources are allocated most efficiently across the agencies responsible for the Ebola response in West Africa and disease control activities at home. Therefore, we respectfully request responses to the following questions regarding interagency coordination involved in the international and domestic response efforts.
- Please describe, in detail, the organizational structure and chain of command for the entities participating in the interagency response, both on the ground in West Africa and domestically. Has a joint interagency task force (JIATF) been established? If so, please describe the organizations that are participating in the JIATF and explain the command and control decision process for daily operations. Who currently, if anyone, is responsible for the coordination and deconfliction of U.S. programs and policies responding to Ebola?
- Has the Administration created a national strategy for countering Ebola similar to the existing National Strategy on Pandemic Influenza? If not, is the Administration referencing the National Strategy on Pandemic Influenza as a guide for planning the response to Ebola in West Africa and domestically?
- With respect to the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) role in the interagency response to Ebola, are existing Concept Plans (CONPLANs) or Concept of Operations planning for infectious diseases being utilized in the organization of military capabilities in West Africa? For example, has the Administration referenced CONPLAN 3551-09 on pandemic influenza to determine requirements, responsibility, and recovery of civilians and military personnel involved in the interagency response to Ebola?
- What specific duties, missions, and responsibilities will be assigned to our nation’s servicemembers partaking in DoD’s role in daily operations in West Africa?
- What actions is the Administration taking to make sure American travelers are safe from Ebola abroad and domestically? Have enhanced screening techniques been implemented at U.S. airports?
Finally, given the broad policy challenges posed by this Ebola outbreak, we encourage you to consider bringing well respected former administration officials with a background in public health and international diplomacy to assist with this serious challenge, such as former Secretary of State Colin Powell, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and former Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt. By drawing on their expertise and international relationships, these respected statesmen could bolster your Administration’s efforts and help lead a united, global response to this serious threat to public health and security.
We would appreciate your responses to our requests by October 17, 2014. It is critical we work together to stop the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the world.
Sincerely,
Jerry Moran
Frank R. Wolf
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee, called on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Tom Frieden to implement Ebola-specific screenings at U.S. airports.
“It is critical to implement Ebola-specific screenings at U.S. airports,” Sen. Moran said. “As we fight Ebola abroad, we need to make certain the homeland is protected as well. While there is no way to completely eliminate the threat, screenings at U.S. ports of entry will add a layer of much-needed protection.”
On Oct. 1, 2014, Sen. Moran issued a statement on the United States’ response to the nation’s first Ebola case. On Sept. 16, 2014, CNN published an op-ed written by Sen. Moran about the importance of U.S. involvement in the Ebola response.
Click here or see below for the full text of the letter:
October 6, 2014
Dr. Tom Frieden
Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd NE
Mailstop D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
Dear Dr. Frieden,
With the first case of Ebola on United States soil, I am writing to call on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to recommend enhanced entry screenings at American ports of entry. Currently, no one entering the U.S. is subject to specific Ebola screening measures. Therefore, it is important for the safety of all Americans that airport screening mechanisms are strengthened.
Given Ebola’s long incubation period, I understand that entry screenings are not the proverbial silver bullet to protecting the U.S. homeland. However, enhanced screenings for those entering from West Africa or under a passport from Liberia, Sierra Leone, or Guinea are a critical step in the process of protecting Americans from this deadly disease. These enhanced screening techniques could include temperature checks, asking passengers if they have come in contact with Ebola patients, and a secondary round of screenings from Customs and Border Protection at every U.S. airport stop along their travel itinerary. I urge you to consider these options.
I appreciate your personal efforts and those working at the CDC to combat the Ebola epidemic both at home and abroad. I look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure you have the resources necessary to continue this critical mission.
Sincerely,
Jerry Moran
Ranking Member
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
Labor, HHS, and Education
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