Republicans in turn have accused Democrats of blocking the bill to gain political advantage by portraying Republicans as obstructionists on Zika funding. “Can’t make that stuff up – that’s really the truth – than protecting women and babies from this bad virus”, said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. The vote was 52 to 46, and Republicans needed 60 votes to advance the bill.
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“It’s our insistence that any short-term [continuing resolution] include Zika and what we call the clean Zika bill, and they understand that”, Durbin said.
– Iran: House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said last week that Republicans controlling the chamber will pass legislation addressing the Obama administration’s $400 million payment to Iran in January, made immediately after four USA prisoners were released.
For the third time the Senate voted to block the $1.1 billion funding bill to fight the Zika virus.
On Tuesday, Florida health officials said seven more home-grown cases of Zika, six of them part of an outbreak in Miami Beach, were found. Florida has documented 56 locally transmitted cases of Zika infection.
Ask Floridians who’s to blame for the lack of federal funding for Zika, and the answer is clear: Congress. “Zika has come to Miami, Florida, and congress needs to step up and provide the necessary funds to fight this awful virus. Deal with it. Give us an up-or-down vote straight on Zika”, Biden said. And in a swipe at some of these conservative members, he said, “We spend a lot of time around here taking advice from members who have no intention voting for bills”.
However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) dismissed such claims that Republicans had ulterior motives by ensuring the bill contained language to restrict efforts by Planned Parenthood.
Democrats continue to object to that measure and hope to revive the earlier bipartisan Senate agreement. “It went to the House and they sent it back with all of this unusual, weird stuff in it”, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Tuesday. He said he now expects the two sides to come together to negotiate a deal before the end of the month so long as GOP leaders drop the objectionable elements.
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“There’s no Planned Parenthood in this bill, and to put an earmark for Planned Parenthood is something that we won’t do”, he said at a press conference.
