White House not satisfied with approved US$1.1 bn Zika funding
The White House blasted the US House of Representatives’ approval of the US$1.1 billion Zika funding as shortchanging the administration’s US$1.9 billion request. The White House threatened to veto the decision.
White House spokesman Eric Schultz said the bill “falls far short” of the amount of money recommended by health officials to address the spread of the Zika virus.”This is a bill that would steal money from other critically important public health priorities,” Schultz told reporters at a briefing. “We urge Republicans to stop turning this into a political football, and to actually get to work to come up with proposals that will serve the American people.”
The bill was also criticized for limiting contraception access for women seeking to prevent Zika, which can be spread through unprotected sex.
The Senate is expected to vote on funding to combat the Zika virus next week, but the bill faces an uncertain fate in the chamber, where the Democratic minority has more power to stop legislation. Democratic leader Harry Reid has declared his opposition.
Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan urged the Senate to move on the bill.”It is a responsible plan that assures the administration will continue to have the needed resources to protect the public,” Ryan said. Republicans said the deal included funding for fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
Senate Democrats also voiced displeasure, clouding the outlook for its passing.”A narrowly partisan proposal that cuts off women’s access to birth control, shortchanges veterans and rescinds Obamacare funds to cover the cost is not a serious response to the threat from the Zika virus,” Reid said.
House Democrats said they could not go along with the deal because of US$750 million in budget cuts elsewhere that the Republicans want to use to pay for the Zika spending.
According to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers, US$543 million of the US$1.1 billion would come from unspent funds set aside for implementing Obamacare in US territories, while US$107 million would come from unused funds to fight another virus, Ebola. Another US$100 million would come from unused administrative funds at the Department of Health and Human Services, he said.
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