[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.

                          ____________________