“I don’t want a lame-duck”, said Virginia Rep. Dave Brat, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, who estimated between 50 and 100 other Republicans would vote against a short-term measure.
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Republicans in turn have accused Democrats of blocking the bill to gain political advantage by portraying Republicans as obstructionists on Zika funding.
“It’s hard to explain why – despite their own calls for funding – Senate Democrats chose to block a bill that could help keep pregnant women and babies safer from Zika”, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. A subsequent vote would prevent the Senate from turning to a $576 billion Pentagon spending measure.
“I feel we pay our taxes and we fund it”, said Timothy Thomas of Fort Myers.
Six months after President Raul Castro declared war on the Zika virus in Cuba, a militarized nationwide campaign of intensive mosquito spraying, monitoring and quarantine appears to be working.
As of late August, there were more than 16,800 cases of Zika virus infection in the United States, including Puerto Rico, which has been hit the hardest.
“This is the third time Senate Democrats have blocked critical funding needed to combat Zika, leaving Americans anxious about the spread of the virus and the health of their families”, Blunt said.
“It’s hard to explain why – despite their own calls for funding – Senate Democrats chose to block a bill that could help keep pregnant women and babies safer from Zika, ” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky. The Centers for Disease Control say it will run out of money to fight Zika by the end of this month.
Ask Floridians who’s to blame for the lack of federal funding for Zika, and the answer is clear: Congress. Democrats also say the bill strips a ban on Confederate flags in military cemeteries.
“The spread of Zika does not wait for the partisan bickering in Congress”, said Congressman Curt Clawson (R-19th District). Marco Rubio, R-Fla., preparing to link Zika talks with negotiations to pass a short-term spending bill before the fiscal year ends on September 30.
“Earlier this year, Democrats tried in vain to bring Republicans to the realization that Zika was imperiling the health of all, but especially women of child-bearing age”, Reid added.
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“I’d like to put it together”, House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Kentucky, said of a Zika package and a bill to keep the government open. “Republicans are eager to send help now while the mosquitoes are out, and the only thing stopping us is a cynical and inexcusable move by Senate Democrats”.
