Congress expected to leave town with no action on guns, Zika

Almost five months since President Obama requested $1.9 billion from Congress to fight the Zika virus, lawmakers left Washington without passing much-needed funding to stop the spread of the disease and fund vaccine research.

The Zika virus has exploded in Florida – as new infections reported this week brought the total of known cases to 282, more than any other state than NY.

The officials acknowledge there have not yet been any cases of the virus being transmitted inside the United States.

After that, they will work only for short stints ahead of the November 8 presidential and congressional elections.

With Florida health officials reporting 293 cases of the mosquito-borne virus in the state, including 43 pregnant women affected, Rubio opened Wednesday’s Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing to take testimony from a range of federal health officials and disease experts. Nancy Pelosi of California and Sen.

In the letter, Burwell and Donovan run through a list of anti-Zika actions federal entities will have to postpone unless Congress passes an emergency spending measure before mosquito season hits full swing. The Puerto Rican Department of Health recently reported 40 percent increase, over just one week, in the number of pregnant women diagnosed with Zika on the island, underscoring the critical need for family planning and other preventive services.

They also warn the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority “would be forced to cancel or delay” planned work on work on “several promising vaccine candidates”. “They’ll force yet another failed vote on this cynical legislation and then pack their bags for the longest Senate vacation since 1954”, he said.

Yes, Congress really is leaving town without approving Zika funding. So far, the White House has reportedly spent more 0 million in leftover Ebola funding to fight Zika. Chamber pitches Fed reform plan MORE (D-Nev.) is accusing Republicans of putting their support for Donald TrumpDonald TrumpNew poll: Clinton leads Trump in Virginia Fox News Poll: Trump trails Clinton by 10 in Colorado Trump will “probably” use teleprompter for convention speech MORE above working out a deal on the funding to fight the Zika virus.

Republicans countered that the agreement, which had already passed the GOP-controlled House, was the fastest and surest way to approve much-needed funds to spray for mosquitoes and find a vaccine for the risky virus that can cause birth defects in infants.

Democrats called on Republican leaders to reopen negotiations on the issue, but Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that the conference report is “unamendable”.

The House started formal talks with the Senate in May and passed the$1.1 billion in funding last month. Asked last week by CQ Roll Call to describe those conversations, Earnest shot back that the president found them “intensely frustrating”.

Sen. John CornynJohn CornynReid: GOP putting Trump over Senate work Texas Republicans pushing death penalty bill for cop killers Senate votes for energy bill negotiations with House MORE (R-Texas) argued Wednesday that Democrats are now in a “logic-free zone” when it comes to Zika and are “trying to score political points with outside groups”. That package had no offsets.

Republicans, at a press briefing Tuesday blasted Democratic obstruction on defense as a bad faith move against the troops and a losing position on the campaign-trail.