[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 77 (Monday, May 16, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2798-S2799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ZIKA VIRUS AND NOMINATION OF MERRICK GARLAND

  Mr. REID. Madam President, what we know today is that the Zika virus 
was first discovered in 1947 in Uganda. It was first detected in 
monkeys, but in 1947 they also learned that the mosquito was now 
carrying this same virus the monkeys had. Initially, we didn't know or 
hear much about Zika. But we have heard plenty now, and we are going to 
hear a lot more.
  Researchers named the virus Zika because that is where the mosquito 
carrying the virus was discovered, in the Zika Forest of Uganda, as I 
mentioned. The Ugandan term ``zika'' means ``overgrown.'' So these 
mosquitoes with this virus were discovered in an overgrown forest in 
Uganda. Now, seven decades later, Zika is an international emergency, 
and countries are scrambling to address the problems created by this 
mosquito that bites. What I have learned is that there is more than one 
type of mosquito; there are two.
  Already Zika-carrying mosquitoes have transmitted the disease to 
American citizens in Puerto Rico and other United States territories. 
Soon, mosquitoes carrying this virus will be biting and infecting 
people in the continental United States. That is not hyperbole. It is 
going to happen. Zika-carrying mosquitoes won't be limited to the gulf 
coast.
  Madam President, look at this map. You can't see it very well on 
this, but you can see the discoloration here, the original coloring 
that we have. We have the blue, and we have the orange and the gray. 
Now, I was really surprised. I thought this would really be in the 
subtropical climates here in the United States, in the southern part of 
our country. I thought that is where it would be, but you can see that 
is not the case.
  Nevada is here, and Las Vegas is here. There are over 2 million 
people living there. It is all over the United States. Boulder, CO, is 
up here. Puerto Rico and Hawaii are here.
  This map is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 
it shows the estimated range of the two types of Zika-carrying 
mosquitoes. Areas of this map, as I have indicated, are three in color 
and cover 39 States. Most of these States, as I have indicated, don't 
have subtropical weather. Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin, Ohio, Kentucky, 
New Hampshire, and Maine are listed.
  Health officials are desperate to stop Zika, this devastating virus 
that has been around so long but it was not known to carry all the many 
problems it now carries. It causes birth defects and other deadly 
conditions.
  Last week, a report on NPR described what Zika does to the brain as 
it begins to grow. This is one condition:

       As the brain . . . starts to grow, it creates pressure, 
     which pushes on the skull and causes it to grow. But if 
     something stops brain growth--such as [the Zika] virus--
     pressure on the skull drops. And the skull can collapse down 
     onto the brain.

  Two weeks ago we had people come to explain this to my caucus, and 
they described these skulls that just collapse. But Zika isn't only 
linked to birth defects. As I have indicated, the virus is also 
associated with a nervous system disorder that can result in paralysis, 
among other problems.
  Yet, in spite of all the devastating impacts of Zika, I am sorry to 
say, the Republicans in Congress don't see this virus as an urgent 
issue. Months ago, President Obama requested almost $2 billion to fight 
Zika, and for the same months the Republicans have refused to give the 
money America needs to fight this crisis.
  The best time to deal with any crisis is before it is here, but 
Republicans have dragged their feet. We should have passed an emergency 
spending bill months ago--months ago. We need to address Zika in the 
territories and give States and local governments the resources they 
are begging for.
  Last Thursday, appropriators filed an amendment that would provide 
$1.1 billion in Zika funding. That simply is not enough. This isn't 
about negotiating an arbitrary number made up by lawmakers. Our public 
health officials have made it clear they need that money.
  Senate Republicans are giving our government half of what it needs to 
fight this ravaging virus. This is beyond reckless. House Republicans 
are even doing less. The chairman of the House Committee on 
Appropriations last week said that Republicans are working on a Zika 
funding measure, but what House Republicans are proposing is even less 
than about half of the already low $1.1 billion amendment from Senate 
appropriators.
  Republicans are trying to haggle as if this is some sort of bidding 
war. That is not how Congress should react to a potentially disastrous 
health crisis. We know what is going on in Puerto Rico. We know. 
Because of Republicans' refusal to lift a finger to help fight the Zika 
crisis, the administration was forced to use Ebola funds in order to 
fight Zika now. They had to take about $510 million that was set aside 
specifically for Ebola.
  Two years ago, America was afraid of Ebola. Ebola is still a killer, 
and we invested in supporting public health infrastructures to prevent 
future outbreaks like the one we saw, as I indicated, 2 years ago. We 
need to replenish these monies so we can continue to work on vaccines 
and other things, but Republicans are standing in the way.
  It is really a sad commentary on Republicans that when asked for 
emergency funding to protect millions of Americans, they respond by 
offering half of what is needed. This is in a spending bill, and then 
we have to go to the House and have a conference. In the meantime, 
people are begging for this money. Republicans should be ashamed that 
we aren't doing everything in our power to protect the American people 
from this virus now. We should have an emergency spending bill on the 
floor now. If it were a flood or a fire that occurred, we would have 
been here. It is just too bad because this is a crisis that is already 
here. It is not an emerging crisis. It is here.
  Madam President, last week, the Republican leader came to the floor 
and here is what he said: ``We have elections in this country right on 
time, and that is not an excuse not to do our work.''
  Again: ``We have elections in this country right on time, and that is 
not an excuse not to do our work.''
  That is what Senator McConnell said. So I say to my friend from 
Kentucky: I agree. Elections are no excuse not to do our work. So 
Senate Republicans should do their job and give Supreme Court nominee 
Merrick Garland a hearing and a vote.
  There is clearly no question that Merrick Garland is experienced and 
qualified to be a nominee. He is the nominee, and he has the expertise 
to go along with what a Supreme Court nominee should have. Throughout 
his decades as a prosecutor and judge, Mr. Garland has proven himself 
to be committed to the rule of law and following it. That is more than 
I can say for my Republican colleagues who, by refusing to consider 
this nominee, are rejecting their constitutional duties.

  The Republican leader needs to practice what he preaches. He says 
that elections shouldn't interfere with our Senate duties. He should 
prove it. The Republican Senators should prove that. Put aside 
Presidential elections, put aside Donald Trump, put aside all the phony 
excuses, and give Merrick Garland the consideration he deserves. Study 
Judge Garland's questionnaire; it is here. Analyze his record; it is 
here. Give him a hearing and send his nomination to the floor now.
  As the Republican leader put it, ``We have elections in this country 
right on

[[Page S2799]]

time, and that is not an excuse not to do our work.'' That is 
absolutely right. I would ask the Republicans to do their job.
  Madam President, on the Zika matter, I would add the following: ``The 
news from the House virtually guarantees that the Republican Congress 
will provide too little aid, too late to address the looming Zika 
crisis.''
  The way things are going around here, the appropriations bills are 
not going to be finished until right before the end of this fiscal 
year, late September. The crisis will long have arrived and we will be 
talking about cases that exist in the continental United States. It is 
wrong to wait.
  I don't see anyone here on the floor, so I would ask the Chair to 
announce the business of the day.

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