06.27.16

Dems On Zika: ‘We Cannot Delay Any Longer’

‘The Mosquitoes Are Not Going To Be On Recess’

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “Every day we wait, every day is increasing the risk that we will have problems with Zika.” (“Sen. Schumer Calling For Nearly $2 Billion To Fight Zika,” CBS Albany, 6/20/2016)

SEN. DURBIN: ‘The Mosquitoes Carrying This Deadly Virus Are On The March’

JOSH EARNEST, White House Press Secretary: “…we ask that members of Congress take their job to protect the American people seriously, and we ask them to provide the full funding that our administration -- that our public health and safety professionals say that we need, and they should take that action before they leave on their Fourth of July recess.” (Josh Earnest, Press Conference, 6/20/16)

  • EARNEST: “[T]he time to prepare before Zika begins to spread in the continental United States is rapidly closing. As CDC has said for months, based on historical trends, we expect to see transmission of Zika from mosquitoes inside the United States starting in June or July.” (White House Press Briefing, 5/11/2016)

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “We need to do something to stop this dreaded spread of this virus.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.4517, 6/23/16)

  • REID: ‘I will say right now, we should not go on recess while there is no money for Zika’ “The Zika virus is extremely serious. It could affect as many as 39 of our United States. There is no money. The President has said, and I will say right now, we should not go on recess while there is no money for Zika.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.3233, 5/26/16)
  • REID: “So every day we wait is a bad day for American and the country -- I'm sorry -- for America and the world. A lot of the world is depending on us and we're not delivering and I'm so disappointed…” (Sen. Reid, Press Conference, 5/10/16)

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): “Don’t they believe this is a serious public health threat? If they don’t, they are ignoring the obvious—evidence given to us by the leading public health defense agency in the United States of America, if not the world.” (Sen. Durbin, Congressional Record, S.4433, 6/22/16)

  • DURBIN: “…the mosquitoes carrying this deadly virus are on the march.” (Sen. Durbin, Congressional Record, S.4433, 6/22/2016)
  • DURBIN: “The mosquitoes are not going to be on recess next week, they are going to be working, and sadly they are going to be infecting people across the South and across the United States while congressional leaders dither.” (Sen. Durbin, Congressional Record, S.2428, 4/26/2016)

SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-WA): “Families are looking to Congress for action on Zika. It is well past time that we delivered, and I hope we can get this done without any further delay.” (Sen. Murray, Congressional Record, S.4382, 6/21/16)

  • MURRAY: “Mosquito season is ramping up in some parts of our country already and we cannot delay any longer.” (Sen. Murray, Press Conference, 5/24/16)

Senate Zika Bill Previously Earned ‘Sweeping Support From Democrats’

“The compromise measure's $1.1 billion price tag matches the amount the Senate approved last month…” (“House, Senate GOP Seals Agreement On $1.1B Zika Measure,” AP, 6/22/16)

MAY FLASHBACK: “The U.S. Senate passed its spending bill for transportation, veterans and combating the Zika virus…” (“Senate Passes Veterans, Transportation, Zika Spending Measure,” Bloomberg, 5/19/16)

Dems Said They Were ‘Committed To Sending A Zika Supplemental To The President As Soon As Possible’

SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-WA): “[W]e have to make sure that this agreement gets through the House and to the President’s desk in the least amount of time.” (Sen. Murray, Press Release, 5/19/2016)

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): “Madam President, I am pleased that today the Senate passed two annual spending bills—Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs—and approved funding to combat the Zika virus. … I am pleased that the bill includes long-overdue funding to fight Zika. … I would also like to urge my colleagues to quickly send these funding measures to the President. Zika funding is needed now.” (Sen. Durbin, Congressional Record, S.3021, 5/19/16)

SEN. BARBARA MIKULSKI (D-MD): ‘I am committed to sending a Zika supplemental to the President as soon as possible.’ “…the bill includes $1.1 billion in emergency spending to combat the urgent Zika crisis. CDC, NIH, and USAID need this funding on the ground today. $1.1 billion is a bottom line, not a starting point for negotiation. I am committed to sending a Zika supplemental to the President as soon as possible. I urge all of my colleagues to support this package of bills.” (Sen. Mikulski, Congressional Record, S.3011, 5/19/16)

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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Related Issues: Health Care, Appropriations, Zika Virus