( CNN ) -- With the news that a Liberian citizen has been diagnosed with Ebola on U.S. soil , the Obama administration must finally act to ensure that the disease does not spread further . For weeks , I have been calling upon the administration to take a robust , proactive approach to prevent Ebola from becoming a public health crisis here in the United States . These steps include appointing a single , accountable official to coordinate with the many agencies tasked with containing the Ebola epidemic , and moving from passive to active screening at U.S. ports of entry for all passengers traveling from countries with known outbreaks of Ebola . Ebola prompts talk of enhanced screening . These common sense steps , while not foolproof , would go far in preventing an outbreak of Ebola and assuring the American people that their leaders are not taking the threat of this disease for granted . The recent case of Ebola in Dallas is instructive . Currently , Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) , under the direction of the Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) , engages in `` passive '' screening for Ebola . This means that CBP only stops travelers who are showing symptoms of Ebola . Carriers of Ebola who are not yet showing symptoms could enter the country without so much as a question about their potential contact with the disease . Instead , we rely on government officials from West Africa to ask those kinds of questions at the point of departure . If they fail to do so or if the person lies on their exit form , there is nothing to stop infected individuals from traveling to the United States . Can you catch Ebola on a plane ? This must change . Moving from passive to active screening would give the CBP the power to more thoroughly review international passengers before they are allowed into the United States . Just as travelers are now asked where they have been , whether they are bringing in fruits or vegetables or have been in contact with livestock , travelers from West Africa would be asked if they were in contact with someone with Ebola , someone displaying symptoms of Ebola , or if they have any symptoms of Ebola . If the answer is yes or suspicions are raised , the passenger would be referred to CDC officials for additional questioning , medical screening and quarantine , if necessary . CDC chief : U.S. can stop Ebola in its tracks . This particular patient in Dallas apparently did have contact with someone with Ebola and might well have been identified by active screening . This case proves that in today 's global society , great distance will not prevent a disease like Ebola from spreading from Africa to the United States . It is only a few hours and a plane flight away . Now we need to think about the next case , not the last one , and what we can do to ensure that no more Americans are exposed unwittingly to this disease . There 's no reason to panic , but there 's no reason to be complacent , either . President Obama told the American people that it was `` unlikely '' Ebola would reach our shores . We are now told that it is unlikely that Ebola will spread . But our government should not play the odds or rely on luck when it comes to the health and welfare of the American people . This administration has a history of allowing manageable situations to spiral out of control before taking action . We ca n't be reactive when it comes to this disease . The administration must lead , and it must take proactive steps to ensure that the initial case of Ebola in the United States remains an isolated incident .
Rob Portman : Some common sense steps can help protect U.S. from Ebola . Portman : U.S. should shift from passive to active screening for Ebola at home . He says simply asking good questions can help detect people who may be at risk . Portman : Administration must take proactive steps to prevent outbreak of Ebola cases .