Washington, Dhu-AlHijjah 20, 1435, Oct 14, 2014, SPA -- White House budget director Shaun Donovan urged speed in deploying U.S. funds, including the remaining $250 million requested by the Defense Department, to help fight Ebola. Donovan wrote a letter on October 10 to leaders of the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee and said that sending funds in small increments might risk slowing the U.S. response to the crisis. “The rapid spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa shows that time is of the essence,” Donovan wrote to committee Chairman Harold Rogers and ranking member Nita Lowey. “Given the nature of this crisis, every minute counts.” Last week $750 million of a $1 billion Pentagon request was approved by key committee leaders to shift war funds to fight the spread of the deadly virus. --SPA 23:33 LOCAL TIME 20:33 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w