White House Budget Director Shaun Donovan has asked members of the House Appropriations Committee to accelerate their approval of $250 million in requested Defense Department funds to fight Ebola, according to a Reuters report.
In a letter obtained by Reuters, Mr. Donovan wrote "time is of the essence" and "every minute counts," given the spread of Ebola in West Africa. Last week, committee leaders approved $750 million out of $1 billion requested by the Pentagon to fight the outbreak in West Africa.
That funding can support the U.S. military mission for roughly six months and will be used to build treatment centers and establish a logistical operation to deploy supplies and medical personnel, according to the report. The Obama administration has also indicated the mission would train up to 500 medical personnel each week.