[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 26, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2425-S2426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ZIKA VIRUS
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I want to be clear about something else,
something that is vitally important, something that is imperative. The
Senate must do something now to address the outbreak of the Zika virus.
We are not going to interfere with the Energy and Water appropriations
bill, but we must do something to confront this scourge that is facing
our country and the western part of the world.
[[Page S2426]]
Anyone who has followed the news over the past few months has
undoubtedly heard about the spread of Zika. Zika is a virus spread by
mosquitos in warmer tropical areas. We have warmer areas in the United
States--not tropical but warm--and they breed mosquitos. Zika has been
linked to many health problems, but most notable is a terrible birth
defect called microencephaly. We have all seen pictures of these babies
with these small heads, caused by a mosquito bite.
Dr. Anthony Fauci from the National Institutes of Health--he is the
leader of the institute dealing with infectious disease--came to the
Capitol last Thursday. He briefed us about this thing called Zika. He
described how dangerous it is. He was accompanied by people from the
Centers for Disease Control. He is, of course, representing the
National Institutes of Health. We also had the Secretary of Health and
Human Services. They were here to tell us how serious the situation is,
how dangerous it is.
There are a number of problems as a result of this virus, but the one
that has been most illustrated is the fact that in infants the skull
does not fully form. So the skull never completely pushes out to form
around the brain. So when they are born, these babies have tiny,
undeveloped skulls. Sometimes the skulls collapse.
Aside from the damaged brains and skulls, these babies also have, of
course, developmental delays. Earlier this year a baby in Hawaii was
born with this disease, but, sadly, the worst is on its way.
We have seen cases of this virus all over the continental United
States. These have been linked to travel or transmitted from someone
who has traveled to Zika-affected areas. Most Americans are afraid to
travel abroad--and, I am sorry to say, rightfully so--for fear of
mosquitos carrying Zika, that Zika will infect them. But Zika is
already upon us in Puerto Rico and in Florida, and it is going to
spread to other places. These mosquitos can breed in something smaller
than a bottle cap of water.
Puerto Rico is battling the local transmission of the virus as we
speak. As of last Friday, the island already had more than 500
confirmed cases of Zika, and they are concerned that 1 in 5 Puerto
Ricans could have been infected.
Our fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico have limited funding to
fight this growing epidemic. We have heard about the financial problems
they are having. The Puerto Rican government doesn't even have enough
money to pay contractors to empty the septic tanks in schools, which
are breeding grounds for mosquito larvae, capable of producing billions
of mosquitos--not millions but billions.
Experts tell us it won't be long before the mosquitos carrying Zika
are infecting people here in the continental United States. We can't
wait for that before we act. This is an emergency situation, if
anything ever were. The Senate must do something now to counter the
spread of this virus. The White House has taken money--they asked for
money 2 months ago, but during that period of time, they took money
from Ebola funding, which is also vitally important. We are doing
pretty well stopping the spread of that. But taking that money away, we
are going to be right back with the problem with Ebola if it is not
replaced.
We have a bill ready to go. Senator Nelson of Florida, who is going
to feel this as much as any Senator in the country, has provided a bill
to give the President the money he has asked for: $1.9 billion in
emergency supplemental appropriations. Democrats believe this $1.9
billion is a good start. Our Nation's public health and infectious
disease experts say this is roughly how much money they need to fight
this virus. We would be irresponsible not to provide this money and do
it now. Senator Nelson's bill will bolster our defense against Zika by
funding the development of vaccines, mosquito control methods, and
testing and services to those who are infected.
So I say to my Republican colleagues, I say to the Republican leader:
Do we want to wait until more babies are born with these permanent
disabilities--disabilities caused by a virus that the vaccine could
help prevent, if not for all children, then for many? Do we want to
wait until people in the United States start to suffer from paralysis
caused by Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is also linked to Zika? It has
already been more than 2 months since the President requested this
emergency funding. The longer we wait, the worse it will be.
States are already scrambling to address Zika. A story in the
Washington Post highlighted the danger of inaction. I quote:
Cities and states preparing for possible Zika outbreaks
this spring and summer are losing millions of federal dollars
that local officials say they were counting on, not only for
on-the-ground efforts to track and contain the spread of the
mosquito-borne virus but also to respond to other emergencies
that threaten public health.
Los Angeles County, for example, says it won't be able to
fill 17 vacancies at its public health laboratory or buy
equipment to upgrade its capability for Zika testing.
Michigan is concerned about providing resources to help Flint
contend with its ongoing water-contamination crisis.
Minnesota plans to reduce its stockpile of certain
medications needed to treat first responders during
emergencies.
The across-the-board funding cuts are part of a complicated
shift of resources that the Obama administration blames on
Congress for its refusal to approve the White House's $1.9
billion emergency request to combat Zika.
The President is right. He is pointing the finger where it belongs--
right here at Congress.
So I implore my Republican colleagues, I implore my friend the
Republican leader: Let's act now. We have done the work. We have a bill
to provide what experts need to fight this devastating virus. Let's get
it done.
For more than a week, we have heard about Republicans and the
appropriations folks working toward an agreement. I have yet to see it.
I have heard about it. If the Republican leader and Appropriations have
an alternative, they should bring it to the floor now. Democrats are
happy to work toward a solution, but we have to get started. We need to
get the experts the resources they need to prevent the spread of Zika.
It is not acceptable to do nothing. The Senate should not leave this
week without addressing legislation that fights Zika. We cannot go on
break without taking care of this emergency. When the Senate finishes
the work on Energy and Water, we must move to the Zika legislation. The
National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, the
entire Health and Human Services Cabinet office--they need Congress to
send them the funding necessary to start working on a solution to Zika.
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