Heinrich Statement on Service Members from Fort Bliss Deploying to Africa as Part of U.S. Effort to Stop Ebola Epidemic

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) issued the following statement on the planned deployment of the service members from Fort Bliss to Africa to provide aviation assets in support of Operation United Assistance, the U.S.-led effort to help accelerate and coordinate the global response to halt the Ebola epidemic:

"Our service members will play a critically important role in the United States' effort to stop Ebola at its source in West Africa. These brave men and women and their families will continue to be in my thoughts, and I join all New Mexicans in expressing my sincere gratitude for their service.

"With the Ebola epidemic intensifying across West Africa and the diagnosis of the first case in the United States, we cannot relent. As we monitor this situation, it's important to remember that safety measures are in place that will provide the best care possible to the diagnosed individual in Texas.

"We can control the spread of Ebola, but we must continue to ensure our service members, the Center for Disease Control, and other public health agencies working on the front lines here and abroad have the resources needed to prevent further growth of this outbreak and keep Americans safe. This effort is and must be a global effort.

"Through vigilance and collaboration with our global partners, I am confident we can meet this challenge and contain this disease."