Senate panel set to examine Ebola response

Despite an abbreviated workweek, senators on the Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on the government response to the Ebola outbreak.

Lawmakers are expected to grill Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell. Some have questioned whether federal programs designed to prepare hospitals to respond to Ebola cases are effective, since two nurses were infected after treating the first patient diagnosed with Ebola in the U.S.

{mosads}Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson will also testify. The administration has asked Congress to approve more than $6 billion in emergency funding to help stop the spread of Ebola.

With Republicans taking control of the upper chamber next year, Democrats are more motivated than ever to clear as many of President Obama’s nominations as possible before the end of the year.

Several committees will hold confirmation hearings next week with the expectation that the nominations will reach the Senate floor during the lame-duck session.

Details on these and other Senate hearings follow:

Senate Appropriations

– Nov. 12, “U.S. Government response to the Ebola outbreak”

2 p.m., G-50 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs 

– Nov. 13, “Nominations”

11 a.m., 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

– Nov. 13, “Nominations”

2:30 p.m., 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

– Nov. 12, “Business Meeting”

5:30 p.m., S-216, U.S. Capitol

Senate Indian Affairs

– Nov. 12, “Nominations”

4 p.m., 628 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Judiciary 

– Nov. 13, “S.2520, The FOIA Improvement Act”

10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– Nov. 13, “Nominations”

11 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building