President Barack Obama's appointment of an "Ebola czar" has triggered an angry response from a Texas senator who is demanding that Congress convene an emergency session to take over leadership in the Ebola crisis and pass a ban on travelers entering the U.S. from the affected West Africa countries.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reacting to Obama's appointment of attorney Ron Klain, a former chief of staff to Vice Presidents Al Gore and Joe Biden with no medical background, issued a statement from his office: "We don't need another so-called 'czar'; we need presidential leadership. This is a public health crisis and the answer isn't another White House political operative. The answer is a commander-in-chief who stands up and leads, banning flights from Ebola-afflicted nations and acting decisively to secure our southern border."

Cruz wasn't alone in his criticism. Rep. John Fleming, R-La., who is a medical doctor, said in a statement, "Leave it to President Obama to put a liberal political activist in charge of the administration’s Ebola response. If reports are true, his so-called Ebola Czar will be someone with no medical background, but who was responsible for administering the failed 2009 Obama stimulus program. Yet again, this president is more concerned with ideology than competence.

"If the Obama Administration wants to gain the faith of the American people in the face of a serious public health threat, they should start with a travel ban on people coming from Ebola hot zones and a CDC director who will ensure that there are select medical centers that are fully equipped and trained to handle Ebola patients. The testimony we heard yesterday from [CDC director] Dr. Tom Frieden added to my existing concerns about his ability to handle the crisis. The time has come for the CDC director to resign."

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