Alert

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) released the following statement regarding the bipartisan agreement to provide emergency funding to combat the Zika virus, which is included as part of a short-term government funding measure introduced in the Senate today.   

“This agreement provides resources that are urgently needed to combat the Zika virus and protect Americans, particularly mothers and their unborn babies,” Blunt said. “While this isn’t a perfect bill, it will enable the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and other agencies to continue working toward a vaccine, and to develop new treatments and diagnostics for those who have been infected. I was disappointed that Senate Democrats blocked this critical funding several times over the past three months, delaying a robust response, and it is clear that we must move forward on legislation we can get to the president’s desk. I thank Senator Rubio, who has been instrumental in securing this agreement, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it.”

The agreement includes the same $1.1 billion funding level proposed by Blunt and approved by the Senate in May. It provides $397 million for vaccine research, and funds mosquito control, Zika surveillance, and advanced development of treatments and diagnostics. This funding is in addition to the over $600 million in existing funds already being used by the administration in response to the Zika threat. The agreement expands access to health care services in areas most affected by the Zika virus. It provides no direct funding or grants to Planned Parenthood or Profamilias, and the Hyde Amendment is reiterated in the text of the bill.