Senate leaders see path forward on funding Zika virus

According to Democrats, Republicans added several stipulations to the Zika bill, including pulling $540 million from the Affordable Care Act, using funds from a bill that would ban flying the Confederate flag in federal cemeteries, and preventing Planned Parenthood and similar clinics from providing contraceptives to help prevent the spread of Zika, which can be transmitted sexually.

As of Friday, the Texas Department of State Health Services has counted 174 cases of Zika; including, “11 pregnant women, two infants infected before birth, and one person who had sexual contact with a traveler”. “The [Centers for Disease Control] has been very clear about the importance of women, particular in areas where there’s a high incidence of potential exposure, women to have access to family planning services”.

But the concerns of the House Freedom Caucus, the group of members on the right, are real and without their votes it’s likely House Speaker Paul Ryan will have to turn to Democrats to pass a funding bill.

But Congress should be above that when a genuine emergency comes along.

Biden urged Congress to take action on issues he said were “bigger than partisan”: funding to fight Zika, the nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court and barring the sale of guns to people on Federal Bureau of Investigation watch lists.

But things fell apart in the House.

Ryan, asked about moving a Zika bill without controversial policy riders on it, sidestepped the question and blasted Senate Democrats for blocking action on a Zika measure on Tuesday night. “It is not the time to play political games and attach partisan amendments to a bill that could literally save lives”. Zika has been linked to at least 16 cases of microcephaly in the continental United States.

“Republicans continue to play politics with this crisis”, said Rep.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid also said he hopes “to do something quickly”, but warned his party would block bills that included what Democrats consider poison pills, like restrictions on funding for Planned Parenthood and cuts to Obamacare in the Zika bill.

“It is simply inexcusable that my friends across the aisle have again blocked these very important pieces of legislation and put the safety and the public’s health at risk”, Daines said.

But Republican National Committee spokesperson Ninio Fetalvo says Kaine’s call to end recess in order to vote on Zika funding, but then not appearing for Tuesday’s vote is “hypocritical”.

Congress will be in session for the next three weeks before everyone heads home for the final campaign push before Election Day. We passed the $1.1 billion bill for Zika, which was the level agreed to in the Senate.