Blakeman Supports Travel Visa Suspension from Ebola-Impacted West African Nations as Rice Again Stands with Obama

Press Release

Bruce Blakeman, the Republican-Conservative-Independence nominee for Congress in New York's open Fourth Congressional District, called on United States Secretary of State John Kerry and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to temporarily suspend travel visas for individuals traveling from areas of West Africa impacted with the Ebola virus until the outbreak is under control.

His opponent, Kathleen Rice, stands with President Obama and does not support a commonsense travel ban from West Africa ebola-striken nations, calling it non-effective.

"Despite our public health officials efforts, the most recent cases of ebola spreading involve the two Dallas health care workers who took care of Thomas Eric Duncan. This shows the vulnerabilities of our system and steep learning curve the Obama Administration and their public health officials are facing," said Bruce Blakeman.

"The State Department and Homeland Security must put in place a temporary suspension of visas of individuals from Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone until the ebola outbreak is under control," Blakeman said.

"The federal government's first priority must be protecting American citizens. Restricting visas given to non-American citizens from ebola-stricken nations is another commonsense and prudent measure the US must take to protect our neighbors and country while health officials get their arms around this problem. The time to act is now," said Blakeman.

Bruce Blakeman advocates the temporary suspension of approximately 13,500 travel visas issued to citizens of the affected countries by the United States Department of State. He also supports the ongoing enhancing screening procedures put into effect at gateway US airports and believes other major international gateways that have connecting West African flights follow suit.

"We can't depend on President Obama's political hack with no medical or healthcare background to lead the response. Our families and seniors are not confident that the federal government and the Center for Disease Control are ahead of the ebola threat," said Blakeman spokesman Matt Coleman.

Blakeman has continued to lead on the issues of ebola and national security. Last week, he called for a reasonable and timely flight ban to and from the affected West African nations battling ebola in addition to the need for a medical expert -- not a longtime political hack immortalized by Kevin Spacey in the move Recount -- to lead the United States' response to ebola in our country.

Kathleen Rice stands with President Obama and does not support a commonsense travel ban from West Africa ebola-striken nations:
"The problem with closing off travel from specific countries is so many people travel through other countries as well…[Banning flights from West Africa] wouldn't be as effective as some people are arguing." (Source: WCBS 880 Eye on Politics Interview 10/15/2014)

The New York Times reports that President Obama has "deepening frustration, even anger, with how the government has handled key elements of the [ebola] response" because the federal government and medical officials "were providing [the President] with information that later turned out to be wrong." (Source: The New York Times. 10/17/2014) Blakeman's proposals would immediately help strengthen the U.S. response to battling the virus.

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