[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 18, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H2787-H2804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 ZIKA RESPONSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2016

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 
736, I call up the bill (H.R. 5243) making appropriations for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, to strengthen public health 
activities in response to the Zika virus, and for other purposes, and 
ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 736, the bill 
is considered read.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5243

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,  That the 
     following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes, namely:

                                TITLE I

                DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

               Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

                cdc-wide activities and program support

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For an additional amount for ``CDC-Wide Activities and 
     Program Support'', $170,000,000, which shall become available 
     upon enactment of this Act and remain available until 
     September 30, 2016, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to 
     Zika virus, domestically and internationally: Provided, That 
     products purchased with such funds may, at the discretion of 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services, be deposited in 
     the Strategic National Stockpile under section 319F-2 of the 
     Public Health Service (``PHS'') Act: Provided further, That 
     such funds may be used for purchase and insurance of official 
     motor vehicles in foreign countries: Provided further, That 
     the provisions of section 317S of the PHS Act shall apply to 
     the use of funds appropriated in this paragraph as determined 
     by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention (``CDC'') to be appropriate: Provided further, 
     That funds appropriated in this paragraph may be transferred 
     by the Director of CDC to other accounts of the CDC for the 
     purposes provided in this paragraph: Provided further, That 
     of the funds appropriated under this heading, up to 
     $50,000,000 may be transferred to, and merged with, funds 
     appropriated under the heading ``Health Resources and 
     Services Administration--Maternal and Child Health'' for an 
     additional amount for the Maternal and Child Health Services 
     Block Grant Program only for the following activities related 
     to patient care associated with the Zika virus: prenatal 
     care, delivery care, postpartum care, newborn health 
     assessments, and care for infants with special health care 
     needs: Provided further, That such transfer authority is in 
     addition to any other transfer authority provided by law: 
     Provided further, That such transferred funds may be awarded 
     notwithstanding section 502 of the Social Security Act: 
     Provided further, That such transferred funds may be awarded 
     for special projects of regional and national significance to 
     States, Puerto Rico, other Territories, Indian Tribes, Tribal 
     Organizations and Urban Indian Organizations authorized under 
     title V of such Act: Provided further, That no funding 
     provided by a grant from funds in the fifth proviso may be 
     used to make a grant to any other organization or individual.

                     National Institutes of Health

         national institute of allergy and infectious diseases

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For an additional amount for ``National Institute of 
     Allergy and Infectious Diseases'', $230,000,000, which shall 
     become available upon enactment of this Act and remain 
     available until September 30, 2016, for preclinical and 
     clinical development of vaccines for the Zika virus: 
     Provided, That such funds may be transferred by the Director 
     of the National Institutes of Health (``NIH'') to other 
     accounts of the NIH for the purposes provided in this 
     paragraph: Provided further, That such transfer authority is 
     in addition to any other transfer authority provided by law: 
     Provided further, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985, except that such amount shall be 
     available only if the President subsequently so designates 
     such amount and transmits such designation to the Congress.

                        Office of the Secretary

            public health and social services emergency fund

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For an additional amount for ``Public Health and Social 
     Services Emergency Fund'', $103,000,000, which shall become 
     available upon enactment of this Act and remain available 
     until September 30, 2016, to develop necessary 
     countermeasures and vaccines, including the development and 
     purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, necessary 
     medical supplies, and administrative activities to respond to 
     Zika virus, domestically and internationally: Provided, That 
     funds appropriated in this paragraph may be used to procure 
     security countermeasures (as defined in section 319F-
     2(c)(1)(B) of the PHS Act): Provided further, That paragraphs 
     (1) and (7)(C) of subsection (c) of section 319F-2 of the PHS 
     Act, but no other provisions of such section, shall apply to 
     such security countermeasures procured with funds 
     appropriated in this paragraph: Provided further, That 
     products purchased with funds appropriated in this paragraph 
     may, at the discretion of the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services, be deposited in the Strategic National Stockpile 
     under section 319F-2 of the PHS Act: Provided further, That 
     funds appropriated in this paragraph may be transferred to 
     the fund authorized by section 319F-4 of the PHS Act: 
     Provided further, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985, except that such amount shall be 
     available only if the President subsequently so designates 
     such amount and transmits such designation to the Congress.

                     GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE

                        notification requirement

       Sec. 101.  Funds appropriated by this title shall only be 
     available for obligation if the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services notifies the Committees on Appropriations in writing 
     at least 15 days in advance of such obligation: Provided, 
     That the requirement of this section may be waived if failure 
     to do so would pose a substantial risk to human health or 
     welfare: Provided further, That in case of any such waiver, 
     notification to such Committees shall be provided as early as 
     practicable, but in no event later than 3 days after taking 
     the action to which such notification requirement was 
     applicable: Provided further, That any notification provided 
     pursuant to such a waiver shall contain an explanation of the 
     emergency circumstances.

                         reporting requirement

       Sec. 102.  Not later than 30 days after enactment of this 
     Act the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit 
     to the Committees on Appropriations a consolidated report on 
     the proposed uses of funds appropriated by this title for 
     which the obligation of funds is anticipated: Provided, That 
     such report shall be updated and submitted to such Committees 
     every 30 days until all funds have been fully expended.

                               oversight

       Sec. 103.  Of the funds appropriated by this title under 
     the heading ``Centers for Disease Control and Prevention'', 
     up to--
       (1) $500,000 shall be transferred to, and merged with, 
     funds available under the heading ``Office of Inspector 
     General'', and shall remain available until expended, for 
     oversight of activities supported with funds appropriated by 
     this title: Provided, That the transfer authority provided by 
     this paragraph is in addition to any other transfer authority 
     provided by law; and
       (2) $500,000 shall be made available to the Comptroller 
     General of the United States,

[[Page H2788]]

     and shall remain available until expended, for oversight of 
     activities supported with funds appropriated by the title: 
     Provided, That the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations prior to 
     obligating such funds.

                                TITLE II

                          DEPARTMENT OF STATE

                   Administration of Foreign Affairs

                    diplomatic and consular programs

       For an additional amount for ``Diplomatic and Consular 
     Programs'', $9,100,000, which shall become available upon 
     enactment of this Act and remain available until September 
     30, 2016, for necessary expenses to support the cost of 
     medical evacuations and other response efforts related to the 
     Zika virus and health conditions directly associated with the 
     Zika virus: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985, except that such amount shall be 
     available only if the President subsequently so designates 
     such amount and transmits such designation to the Congress.

           UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

                  Funds Appropriated to the President

                           operating expenses

       For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses'', 
     $10,000,000, which shall become available upon enactment of 
     this Act and remain available until September 30, 2016, for 
     necessary expenses to support response efforts related to the 
     Zika virus and health conditions directly associated with the 
     Zika virus: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985, except that such amount shall be 
     available only if the President subsequently so designates 
     such amount and transmits such designation to the Congress.

                     BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE

                  Funds Appropriated to the President

                         global health programs

       For an additional amount for ``Global Health Programs'', 
     $100,000,000, which shall become available upon enactment of 
     this Act and remain available until September 30, 2016, for 
     vector control activities to prevent, prepare for, and 
     respond to the Zika virus internationally.

                     GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE

                          transfer authorities

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 201. (a) Of the funds appropriated by this title under 
     the heading ``Diplomatic and Consular Programs'', up to--
       (1) $1,350,000 may be made available for medical evacuation 
     costs of any other department or agency of the United States 
     under Chief of Mission authority and may be transferred to 
     any other appropriation of such department or agency for such 
     costs; and
       (2) $1,000,000 may be transferred to, and merged with, 
     funds available under the heading ``Emergencies in the 
     Diplomatic and Consular Service''.
       (b) The transfer authorities provided by this section are 
     in addition to any other transfer authority provided by law.
       (c) Any amount transferred pursuant to this section is 
     designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, except that such 
     amount shall be available only if the President subsequently 
     so designates such amount and transmits such designation to 
     Congress.
       (d) Upon a determination that all or part of the funds 
     transferred pursuant to the authorities provided by this 
     section are not necessary for such purposes, such amounts may 
     be transferred back to such appropriation.

                        notification requirement

       Sec. 202.  Funds appropriated by this title shall only be 
     available for obligation if the Secretary of State or the 
     Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
     Development, as appropriate, notifies the Committees on 
     Appropriations in writing at least 15 days in advance of such 
     obligation: Provided, That the requirement of this section 
     may be waived if failure to do so would pose a substantial 
     risk to human health or welfare: Provided further, That in 
     case of any such waiver, notification to such Committees 
     shall be provided as early as practicable, but in no event 
     later than 3 days after taking the action to which such 
     notification requirement was applicable: Provided further, 
     That any notification provided pursuant to such a waiver 
     shall contain an explanation of the emergency circumstances.

                         reporting requirement

       Sec. 203.  Not later than 30 days after enactment of this 
     Act the Secretary of State, in consultation with the 
     Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
     Development, shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations 
     a consolidated report on the proposed uses of funds 
     appropriated by this title for which the obligation of funds 
     is anticipated: Provided, That such report shall be updated 
     and submitted to such Committees every 30 days until all 
     funds have been fully expended.

                               oversight

       Sec. 204.  Of the funds appropriated by this title under 
     the heading ``Global Health Programs'', up to--
       (1) $500,000 shall be transferred to, and merged with, 
     funds available under the heading ``United States Agency for 
     International Development, Funds Appropriated to the 
     President, Office of Inspector General'', and shall remain 
     available until expended, for oversight of activities 
     supported with funds appropriated by this title: Provided, 
     That the transfer authority provided by this paragraph is in 
     addition to any other transfer authority provided by law; and
       (2) $500,000 shall be made available to the Comptroller 
     General of the United States, and shall remain available 
     until expended, for oversight of activities supported with 
     funds appropriated by this title: Provided, That the 
     Secretary of State and the Comptroller General shall consult 
     with the Committees on Appropriations prior to obligating 
     such funds.

                               TITLE III

                      GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT

                    (including rescissions of funds)

       Sec. 301. (a) Of the unobligated balances of amounts 
     appropriated under title VI of the Departments of Labor, 
     Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related 
     Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (division G of Public Law 
     113-235) and title IX of the Department of State, Foreign 
     Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2015 
     (division J of Public Law 113-235), $352,100,000 are 
     rescinded: Provided, That after consultation with the 
     Secretary of State and the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
     (OMB Director) shall determine the accounts and amounts from 
     which the rescission is to be derived and apply the 
     rescission made pursuant to this subsection: Provided 
     further, That not later than 30 days after enactment of this 
     Act, the OMB Director shall transmit a report to the 
     Committees on Appropriations detailing the amounts rescinded 
     pursuant to this section by agency, account, program, 
     project, and activity.
       (b) Of the unobligated balances available in the 
     Nonrecurring expenses fund established in section 223 of 
     division G of Public Law 110-161 (42 U.S.C. 3514a) from any 
     fiscal year, including amounts transferred to the 
     Nonrecurring expenses fund under that section before, on, or 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, $270,000,000 are 
     rescinded.
       Sec. 302.  Unless otherwise provided for by this Act, the 
     additional amounts appropriated pursuant to this Act for 
     fiscal year 2016 are subject to the requirements for funds 
     contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 
     (Public Law 114-113).
        This Act may be cited as the ``Zika Response 
     Appropriations Act, 2016''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) and 
the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) each will control 30 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on the consideration of H.R. 
5243 and that I may include tabular material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise to present H.R. 5243, the Zika Response Appropriations Act.
  The Zika virus clearly poses a great threat to public health not only 
in the United States, but around the globe. It has become increasingly 
important that we, the Congress, act to protect our most vulnerable, 
particularly infants and pregnant women, from the risks of this 
disease. Our response must be urgent, direct, and strategic, targeted 
at preventing the further spread of this disease.
  The bill before you today provides $622.1 million to fight this 
dangerous virus. It prioritizes critical activities that must begin 
immediately, such as vaccine development and mosquito control.
  I was glad to see that the administration took our committee's advice 
and redirected $589 million from less urgent needs to fund immediate 
actions to respond to Zika. This was and is the most immediate source 
of funding in the fight against Zika.

                              {time}  1930

  But given the severity of the crisis, it is clear we must do more. 
The funds within this legislation will continue the Department of 
Health and Human Services' and the Department of

[[Page H2789]]

State's critical efforts to fight the spread of this harmful disease 
for the rest of the fiscal year of 2016 and beyond. This means that, in 
total, Congress will have provided over $1.2 billion so far with this 
bill to respond to Zika in fiscal year 2016.
  I am proud that we have provided this funding in a responsible way. 
The funding in this bill is entirely offset through rescissions of 
unobligated infectious disease funds that included Ebola or from 
whatever leftover administrative balances there exists within HHS.
  Importantly, Mr. Speaker, this bill takes a thoughtful, strategic 
approach to how to address the fight against Zika, directing funds 
where they are needed most urgently and where they can do the most 
good.
  This legislation provides $170 million for the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention to support mosquito control efforts, disease 
surveillance, international response, and public education. These funds 
can also be used for emergency preparedness grants to State, local, and 
territorial health departments that may confront reductions to their 
existing budgets.
  Within this total, up to $50 million is available for health programs 
targeted at prenatal care, delivery and postpartum care, newborn health 
assessments, and care for infants with special needs related to Zika. 
These funds are focused on States and territories currently 
experiencing Zika outbreaks.
  The National Institutes of Health received $230 million to help 
expedite the research and development of Zika vaccines, making sure 
these treatments can be made available to the public quickly and 
safely.
  For the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, 
BARDA, $103 million will be directed to development and production 
activities for Zika, including for new rapid diagnostic tests and 
vaccines. Our response to Zika must also include cutting off the virus 
at its source, since mosquitos know no boundaries.
  For the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International 
Development, the bill provides a total of $119.1 million, $100 million 
of this total directed to mosquito control efforts. This also includes 
funding for public education efforts aimed at reducing mosquito 
exposure. The remaining $19.1 million is provided to help manage and 
oversee these programs.
  As I noted earlier, we have taken the fiscally responsible step of 
offsetting every dollar spent in this bill. To go even further and to 
ensure accountability, transparency, and effective use of tax dollars, 
we have included strong oversight requirements.
  For instance, the Department of Health and Human Services, the State 
Department, and USAID are required to submit spending plans to Congress 
before any funds can be spent. And we have directed $2 million total 
for GAO and Inspector General oversight. The bill also reiterates 
current, strong protections against the use of any funds for abortions.
  The White House's request earlier on made none of these oversight 
efforts, allowing broad transfer authorities across the entire Federal 
Government and creating what I call ``slush'' funds with virtually no 
limits.
  This bill guarantees that every cent goes to address the problem at 
hand: fighting the Zika virus. This funding is critical to stop the 
spread of Zika and to protect our most vulnerable people, both here at 
home and abroad. Every child deserves the chance at a full and healthy 
life, and every mother deserves to see her child survive. This measure 
will help make this happen for sure in an effective, efficient, and 
responsible way.
  Mr. Speaker, with this bill and its passage, the Congress will have 
seen to $1.2 billion just over the next 4\1/2\ months, the balance of 
this fiscal year. The administration request of $1.9 billion was for 
several years. We, in this bill and the earlier transfer of funds from 
the Ebola infectious disease fund, see to it that we put money on the 
problem now, not waiting for further action.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5243.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

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[[Page H2791]]

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[[Page H2792]]

  

  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  In February, the World Health Organization declared Zika a public 
health emergency of international concern, and the President called for 
$1.9 billion to respond to the impending crisis to prevent the spread 
in our very own communities.
  According to the National Governors Association, the Nation is on the 
threshold of a public health emergency. In a separate letter, the U.S. 
Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities, National Association 
of County and City Health Officials wrote to urge Congress to provide 
emergency supplemental money for Zika, rather than repurpose money from 
other high-priority programs.
  I include in the Record both letters.

                                                     May 10, 2016.
     Hon. Thad Cochran,
     Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senate, 
         Washington, DC.
     Hon. Roy Blunt,
     Chairman, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health 
         and Human Services & Education, U.S. Senate, Washington, 
         DC.
     Hon. Barbara Mikulski,
     Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senate, 
         Washington, DC.
     Hon. Patty Murray,
     Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, 
         Health and Human Services & Education, U.S. Senate, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairmen Cochran and Blunt and Senators Mikulski and 
     Murray: The U.S. Conference of Mayors, National League of 
     Cities and National Association of County and City Health 
     Officials call on you to advance legislation without delay to 
     respond to the Zika virus. Our associations serve people in 
     cities and counties where the burden of Zika will be felt 
     directly.
       Emerging infectious disease threats like Zika require 
     ongoing vigilance, but the particular risks from this virus 
     require immediate, additional investments. We urge Congress 
     to provide emergency supplemental funding for Zika rather 
     than repurpose money from other high priority programs at the 
     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other 
     federal agencies that ensure our health security and public 
     health preparedness. CDC has already diverted more than $44 
     million from public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) to 
     fund the Zika response. Backfilling this PHEP funding is 
     critical to making sure that communities are ready to respond 
     to all threats.
       Although not a new virus, 2015 marked the first widespread 
     transmission of the Zika virus in the Americas. The virus is 
     spread primarily by mosquitoes and usually causes only mild 
     illness or no symptoms. However, in Brazil and other 
     countries affected by Zika there has already been a steep 
     increase in birth defects in infants born to mothers who were 
     infected during pregnancy. In January 2016, CDC warned women 
     who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant to avoid travel 
     to regions and countries with widespread Zika transmission or 
     to prevent being bitten by mosquitoes there. With the weather 
     getting warmer and increased numbers of mosquitos in many 
     places in the United States, Congress can no longer wait to 
     act.
       In local communities, health departments are engaged in 
     educating the public and health care providers about Zika, 
     conducting prevention activities through mosquito eradication 
     and screening travelers from countries where the outbreak has 
     surfaced. Our associations urge you to act quickly in 
     providing emergency supplemental funding to the U.S. 
     Department of Health and Human Services to support the local 
     response to Zika with increased virus readiness and response 
     capacity focused on areas with ongoing Zika transmission; 
     enhanced laboratory, epidemiology and surveillance capacity 
     in at-risk areas and surge capacity through rapid response 
     teams to limit potential clusters of Zika virus in the United 
     States.
       Thank you for your consideration of this request. For 
     further information, please contact: Crystal Swann, Assistant 
     Executive Director, at [email protected]; Carolyn Coleman, 
     Esq., Senior Executive and Director of Federal Advocacy at 
     [email protected]. or Eli Briggs, Senior Government Affairs 
     Director at [email protected].
           Sincerely,
     Tom Cochran,
       CEO & Executive Director, United States Conference of 
     Mayors.
     Clarence E. Anthony,
       CEO & Executive Director, National League of Cities.
     LaMar Hasbrouck, MD, MPH,
       Executive Director, National Association of County and City 
     Health Officials.

                                                      May 9, 2016.

             Governors Ask for Swift Action on Zika Funding

       Washington.--The National Governors Association (NGA) today 
     released the following statement on congressional funding of 
     the Zika virus:
       ``The nation is on the threshold of a public health 
     emergency as it faces the likely spread of the Zika virus. As 
     with all such emergencies, advance planning and preparation 
     is essential to prevent injury and death.
       A key component to averting infectious disease outbreaks is 
     to prevent incidence levels from reaching a critical `tipping 
     point,' after which there is a rapid increase in the number 
     of infections. This is particularly true of the Zika virus--
     the most important way we can protect people is to minimize 
     infections and prevent a concentration of cases, which can 
     lead to outbreak and children born with severe, lifelong 
     birth defects such as microcephaly.
       As Congress returns from recess today, the nation's 
     governors urge the Administration and Congress to work 
     together to reach agreement on the appropriate funding levels 
     needed to prepare for and combat the Zika virus. We also ask 
     they act as expeditiously as possible to ensure those funds 
     are available to states, territories and the public at 
     large.''

  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, as summer approaches, the CDC confirmed 
1,204 cases, including more than 100 pregnant women in the continental 
United States, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories as of May 11. So 
far all of the continental U.S. cases are associated with travel, but 
experts expect the first locally transmitted cases in a matter of 
weeks.
  The scientific community has concluded, after careful review, that 
Zika can cause microcephaly resulting in miscarriage and other severe 
fetal brain defects, as well as adult neurological disorders.
  When the House Republican leadership failed to act, the 
administration was forced to redirect $589 million, mostly from 
emergency Ebola balances, to fund immediate efforts to respond to Zika. 
According to Dr. Fauci at the National Institutes of Health, the 
redirected funds allowed the United States to start work.
  But we cannot finish what we need to do. The Republican bill does not 
allow us to finish the job either. It provides $622 million, less than 
a third of what is needed.
  The administration requested $743 million for State and local efforts 
to reduce mosquito populations as well as conduct public health studies 
of the Zika virus. The House Republican bill provides $120 million, 
plus an additional $50 million for block grants.
  By providing such a small fraction of the requested amount, we would 
be drastically underfunding State and local public health departments, 
hampering efforts to expand mosquito control and mitigation, and 
unnecessarily placing millions of pregnant women at risk.
  In addition, the administration requested $246 million in direct 
assistance for Puerto Rico, an epicenter in the Zika outbreak. The 
House Republican bill does not provide this direct funding for Puerto 
Rico, again, placing tens of thousands of pregnant women at risk.
  In the past, Congress has come together in a bipartisan manner to 
address and respond to emergencies from the Ebola and H1N1 viruses to 
natural disasters and agreed that these emergencies should not be 
offset. When a tornado strikes, we don't steal money from the 
unfinished relief efforts for the last hurricane; yet House Republicans 
would take more Ebola funding, risking that it could reemerge, and give 
less than it needed to stop the spread of Zika in communities 
throughout the United States.
  Without full funding to replenish Ebola accounts, we won't complete 
commitments to fortify international public health systems or have 
health contingency funds in place to respond to outbreaks of either 
disease or any other unanticipated public health crisis. That is why I 
introduced H.R. 5044, which would provide the full emergency 
supplemental to combat Zika and prevent the virus from spreading 
without risking investments in our public health infrastructure.
  Mr. Speaker, that is the bill we should be debating today, not the 
House Republican Zika, which is a day late and a dollar short.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), the chairman of the 
House Appropriations' Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, 
Education, and Related Agencies. He is also a member of the House Rules 
Committee.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for 
yielding me the time I need.

[[Page H2793]]

  I want to begin my remarks by complimenting our chairman. Quite 
frankly, I don't know anybody that has spent more time on this issue 
and devoted more thought to it than Chairman Rogers.
  He took a codel down to the region. Our first stop was in Peru where 
we stopped at a Naval research station. It has been there for many 
decades. Their purpose normally is to look at tropical diseases, which 
they are doing, but they have now switched their efforts primarily to 
Zika, just as they should. So we were on top of this early.
  Then we went to Brazil and, under Chairman Rogers' leadership, we had 
the opportunity to meet with the Centers for Disease Control's people 
on the ground and also talk to our colleagues in the Brazilian 
Government about the appropriate ways to move forward on this that were 
done thoughtfully and responsibly.
  What Chairman Rogers has laid before us is essentially a three-part 
plan that funds all the administration wants to do. The first is the 
initial $600 million that would not be available had the chairman not 
directed the administration to immediately use available funds.
  Now, when we passed money for Ebola, if you go back and look at the 
legislation, it was not only for Ebola. It was for Ebola and other 
infectious diseases. Frankly, the money there may well be more than we 
need for Ebola. But in any case, it is going to be spread over many 
years. So because the chairman pushed hard on this, we actually have 
$600 million available immediately, and the message to the 
administration was to start spending what you need to do now.
  The second piece of this three-part plan is the bill that is in front 
of us today. It is over $600 million. As the chairman pointed out, this 
is two-thirds essentially of what the administration has requested and 
more than they requested in this fiscal year. Remember, this bill is 
only for this fiscal year.
  So the next third will come in the bills that are presented by my 
subcommittee and by my good friend, Chairman Granger's subcommittee, 
the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.
  So if you actually look at the total amount provided, it is about 
what the administration has requested, and it arrives in a timely 
manner to meet all their needs. The one single critical difference is 
that what the chairman has provided is fully offset.
  Now, my very good friend from New York mentioned that, in 
emergencies, we don't normally offset. The reality is we do offset when 
we can. She mentioned tornados. Let me give you an example.
  In 2013, my home community of Moore, Oklahoma, was hit by tornados. 
There was a question of whether or not there would be money available. 
There was, in fact, money available. That money was in the FEMA 
disaster relief fund. There was more than enough money in there that 
had already been appropriated to use. That is what is true here again 
today.
  We have more than enough money in the Ebola funds that we 
appropriated 2 years ago to actually take care of the initial phase of 
this action and any other problem that comes up. This is now additional 
money on top of that.

                              {time}  1945

  So the wise thing, it seems to me, is to actually use the funds that 
you have set aside for these purposes. First, $600 million from the 
Ebola money and infectious diseases. The next would be this. The next 
tranche of money would be in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and 
Education bill that I am privileged to be chairman of and will bring to 
this floor in June, and my friend Ms. Granger will also bring forward 
additional money in her bill to help with the efforts overseas.
  So the simple fact is this really isn't an argument about Zika. It is 
an argument about whether you will pay to take care of the needs that 
we have. We have more than enough funds in what we have already voted, 
what we will vote for here, and what we will provide next year to 
actually take care of the problem. The chairman has made an additional 
commitment that if we need to backfill that money, if we are short for 
some other infectious disease that none of us can anticipate or for 
Ebola, we will take care of that during the regular appropriations 
process.
  So this is, essentially, I think honestly, a solution in search of a 
problem. The money is here. We have the money. We are appropriating the 
money. The administration has not failed to do one thing it wanted to 
do because of lack of money. The money is available. The real question 
here is: Are you going to offset that money and make sure that we don't 
add another $1.9 billion to the national debt by using the money you 
have got available or are you just going to simply charge it to the 
national credit card? That is what my friends on the other side--with 
the best of intentions, I am sure--are actually advocating. Let's just 
put the country $1.9 billion deeper in debt as opposed to using 
available resources, appropriating additional resources and offsetting 
them, and then using the normal appropriations process to go forward.
  I want to commend the chairman, honestly, for being thoughtful, 
careful, and prudent with taxpayer dollars. That is what this is all 
about. If we work together, we can provide all the money that the 
administration needs without increasing the national debt. If we do 
what our friends on the other side suggest, we will simply add $1.9 
billion more, and at the end of the day, we won't be in any different 
place than we will be under the chairman's plan.
  Mr. Speaker, I would recommend that we pass this legislation, build 
on top of the $600 million we have already provided, and allow Ms. 
Granger and myself to bring forward to the full Congress the additional 
funds that they need in the normal appropriations process.
  Remember, this $1.9 billion isn't needed today. It is needed over a 
multiyear period. We are providing it over a number of years, and we 
are doing it without adding to the national debt. It seems to me pretty 
clear.
  Actually, both sides have the same aim here. We want to take care of 
an urgent healthcare problem. The difference is the chairman has 
presented--first, in the $600 million we have already deployed, and in 
the $622 million that we will deploy in this bill, and the additional 
money that will come in the normal appropriations process--everything 
we need. In some sense, this argument is an argument we don't need to 
have unless your aim is simply to have $1.9 billion more.
  I want to thank the chairman for what he has done. I look forward to 
continuing to work with my friends on the other side of the aisle. At 
the end of the day, we will have more than enough money. The difference 
will be we will not have added one cent to the national debt.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), a distinguished member of the 
Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on the Budget.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Lowey for yielding and 
also for her very steady and effective leadership on our committee.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Labor-HHS and State and Foreign 
Operations subcommittees, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 
5243, which is the so-called Zika funding bill.
  Earlier this week, the majority finally decided to act on Zika, yet 
their proposal shows just how unwilling they are to take this crisis 
seriously. Even now, they have offered barely one-third of the 
resources needed to fight Zika. Not only are my Republican colleagues' 
efforts 3 months late, they are also woefully inadequate to address 
this major public health emergency.
  If that weren't enough, Republicans have once again included poison 
pills that have no place in this legislation. While we are trying to 
work to protect our Nation's most vulnerable, including pregnant women 
and their children, the majority is putting politics over public 
health, and that is just wrong.
  The Zika outbreak has already spread to more than 26 countries, 
including the United States and our territories. Sadly, there have been 
two Zika deaths in Puerto Rico. This summer, Americans living in 
Southern States face tremendous risks from the virus.
  Not only does this bill underfund our Zika response, it raids vital 
funding for other dangerous infectious diseases, such as Ebola. Quite 
frankly, we should

[[Page H2794]]

not roll the dice should another Ebola outbreak occur. We know how this 
appropriations process works. I don't want to chance that. We 
appropriated Ebola funding for Ebola. This is not the time to rob Peter 
to pay Paul. The experts are clear. We need the full $1.9 billion 
request, emergency request, without offsets.
  Now, we have seen war funding emergency supplementals fly through 
this House without many questions raised. This is an emergency, and we 
need to treat it as such.
  Finally, this bill includes Hyde-like language, a dangerous rider 
that denies access to abortion coverage for women if they are poor, a 
veteran, in the military, or a Federal Government employee. Let me be 
clear, politicians have no business denying a woman health coverage 
based on her income, her employer, or her ZIP Code.
  Once again, the majority has decided to put their extremist ideology 
over public health. Why in the world would they put this rider in this 
Zika funding bill? It doesn't make any sense, and it is wrong.
  It has been 3 months since the World Health Organization declared the 
Zika virus as a public health emergency. That was February. Three 
months since the President requested emergency funds, the time to act 
is now.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote to reject this bill and 
let's instead pass a bill with adequate funding and without ideological 
antiwomen riders. The American people can't afford to wait much longer 
for Congress to get this right.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger), the chairman of the Subcommittee 
on Appropriations for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5243, the Zika 
Response Appropriations Act.
  This bill provides $622 million to respond to the Zika virus both at 
home and abroad. As chair of the State and Foreign Operations 
Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, I want to highlight 
funds in the bill for the international response efforts to stop the 
virus at its source. This includes mosquito control activities to stop 
the spread of the virus, public information campaigns to get the 
message out about Zika, and evacuations of Americans when needed. These 
efforts will build on work that has already begun.

  After my colleagues and I urged swift action, the administration 
decided to redirect $589 million of funds already in hand to respond to 
the Zika virus. This funding bill is the next step. It provides our 
best estimate of what is needed for the remaining months of this fiscal 
year. As we draft the fiscal year 2017 appropriations bills and 
information about the threat of Zika becomes more clear, we will 
address at that time any additional requirements through our regular 
process.
  Unlike the President's request, the activities supported in this bill 
are targeted and focused. This bill also contains strong oversight 
provisions and is fully offset. H.R. 5243 provides what is needed now 
to respond to the Zika virus, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the ranking member on the Legislative 
Branch Subcommittee.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank my ranking member, the 
gentlewoman from New York, for her leadership on this issue.
  I join my colleagues in urging Congress to vote down this wholly 
inadequate legislation and take meaningful action to address the public 
health crisis the Centers for Disease Control called ``scarier than we 
originally thought'' and support the President's request.
  My home State of Florida leads the Nation in confirmed cases of the 
Zika virus, with 113 people infected already and counting. Florida 
health officials declared a state of emergency in February. As we head 
into mosquito season, as well as high travel season, we know the risk 
of Zika will rise.
  We have seen the heartbreaking images of babies born with 
microcephaly. As researchers are continuing to learn more about the 
different ways that Zika can be transmitted, it is critical that 
Congress provide the funding needed to thoroughly tackle this virus 
now.
  I am proud that we have transcended partisan lines in Florida at 
least. Senators Nelson and Rubio as well as Governor Scott have all 
been outspoken advocates in support of the President's request to fight 
this disease, which he made nearly 3 months ago.
  I have heard many of my House Republican colleagues acknowledge the 
devastating effects of this disease and the need for serious proposals 
to combat it. Sadly, the only serious part of the bill before us is how 
far it is from meeting our Nation's needs in overcoming this public 
health crisis.
  The bill that the Republican leadership has introduced will not 
provide meaningful support to my constituents or constituents affected 
by this across the country. Among its many other shortcomings, this 
bill would raid funds from accounts designated for Ebola, which, as 
many public health officials have testified already, is still a threat. 
Robbing Peter to pay Paul is irresponsible.
  It also fails to provide any specific resources to Puerto Rico, where 
Americans are suffering the greatest burden of what Dr. Thomas Frieden, 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control, recently called an 
epidemic. It continues attacks on a woman's ability to make her own 
reproductive health decisions, and, perhaps most astonishingly of all, 
this bill only provides these limited and borrowed funds until 
September 30, when they will then expire. Let me assure you that 
mosquitoes and diseases do not follow the congressional budget 
calendar.
  I urge the entire House to quickly pass legislation that I have 
introduced along with my colleagues, Ranking Member Lowey and Ranking 
Member Rosa DeLauro, which would support the President's request of 
$1.9 billion. We cannot simply watch more people get infected with Zika 
as we dither over how we fund critical investments into vaccine 
research, prevention strategies, and finding a cure.
  This is a mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted virus. Mosquitoes 
don't know whether they are biting a Republican or a Democrat, and we 
should not politicize this serious crisis.
  The National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, and the Department of Health and Human Services have 
repeatedly provided plans that clearly detail the need for these funds 
and how they would be spent.
  Our local public health facilities, particularly in Florida, the Gulf 
States, and Puerto Rico need added resources, as do our local mosquito 
control programs. We need more investments into vector control and 
mosquito eradication. We need more public education, and we need more 
resources to ensure that people are able to protect themselves.
  I will quote my colleague from the Senate, Senator Marco Rubio, that 
we must--and I agree with him--we must get out in front of this. We 
will only have ourselves to blame if we dither and don't do so.
  So I say to my colleagues, we must act responsibly, we must respond 
appropriately, and we must do it quickly. This bill does not come close 
to doing that, so I will cast my vote against it in hopes we will reach 
an agreement that actually appropriates the amount of resources that 
address this burgeoning crisis. My constituents cannot wait and neither 
can yours.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time I 
have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hultgren). The gentleman from Kentucky 
has 13\1/2\ minutes remaining. The gentlewoman from New York has 18 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson), the chairman of the Subcommittee 
on Commerce, Justice, and Science.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, the Zika virus does pose a genuine 
emergency situation and, as in any emergency, requires a calm head, 
clear thinking, and rational approach to dealing with the problem, 
absent of emotion. You have got to be careful and thoughtful about 
these things.
  As with any emergency situation, you have got to trust the experts, 
and the experts in the field have told us that the Ebola virus is no 
longer as serious a threat as it was. That emergency has passed. We now 
need to focus

[[Page H2795]]

on the Zika virus, which we are beginning to see cases in the United 
States.
  So, in a thoughtful, careful, rational way, the Republican majority 
has made certain that the money, our constituents' hard-earned tax 
dollars, is wisely and prudently spent.

                              {time}  2000

  When we first recognized it, Chairman Rogers, Chairman Cole, and 
Chairman Granger made sure there was $5 billion set aside in the 
current year to fight Ebola and other infectious diseases. Nearly $2 
billion is still in that account for other infectious diseases.
  And to deal with this Zika crisis, we have in this legislation 
tonight--which I urge my colleagues to support--added another $622 
million that is completely offset. We have made savings and cuts in 
other areas of the government to make sure that our constituents' hard-
earned taxpayers dollars are wisely spent.
  We are not increasing spending. We are offsetting this $622 million 
to fight Zika in a thoughtful, intelligent, rational way, beginning 
with funding mosquito control and prevention in those States with heavy 
mosquito populations.
  Texas was inundated with rain this past April, and we got the threat 
of a large mosquito population that is very real. So this funding 
tonight, which is completely offset and paid for, will help combat that 
threat.
  Chairman Rogers, Chairman Cole, and Chairman Granger have provided 
$230 million to the National Institutes of Health in addition to--
remember--the $2 billion that is still there from the current year to 
fight Ebola and other infectious diseases.
  We have made sure that there is careful oversight of our 
constituents' hard-earned tax dollars and to make certain that each 
agency has to report to Congress on how the money is going to be used. 
They have to submit a spending plan. We have to make certain the 
dollars are going where they will do the most good. That is our 
responsibility. That is our duty.
  As good stewards of our constituents' hard-earned tax dollars, as 
guardians of the Treasury, we have a fiduciary duty to make sure that 
money is not wasted.
  Chairman Rogers also put an expiration date on the funding to make 
sure that the money is not going to be transferred to other activities. 
It has got to be spent on fighting this dreaded disease.
  The only politicization that has taken place tonight are those who 
would stand up in front of the people of the United States and try to 
make it an emotional issue. We have got to approach this, as in any 
crisis, in a calm, thoughtful, and intelligent way that makes sure that 
we are targeting our constituents' hard-earned tax dollars where they 
will do the most good.
  Any additional funding that is necessary to fight this outbreak in 
the next fiscal year can and will be considered as part of the normal 
appropriations process.
  In a thoughtful, considerate way, Chairman Rogers has given us a bill 
to help solve this crisis, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New 
York (Ms. Velazquez), the ranking member of the Small Business 
Committee.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, this is the face of Zika: an innocent child harmed with 
the disease--a disease that we could prevent.
  Now, this disease is harming our fellow American citizens in Puerto 
Rico and on the eastern side of the mainland.
  Already, because of Washington's decades of neglect, Puerto Rico's 
health care system is broken. Last year, 500 doctors packed up and left 
the island, never to return, and physicians are leaving at the rate of 
one a day.
  While Puerto Rico's health infrastructure is vulnerable, we are 
seeing this terrible disease take hold. More than 570 cases of 
infection have already been reported in Puerto Rico, including almost 
50 pregnant women, and two deaths.
  How dare anyone in this Chamber say that this is political. It is not 
political when we have people that are dying in Puerto Rico.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 
seconds.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Now, what are House Republicans doing in response? 
They are proposing less than one-third of the money needed to respond 
to Zika. They are providing no--zero--money targeted for Puerto Rico.
  Mr. Speaker, look at this face again. Shame on this House for this 
failure. Look at this face and then look in the mirror.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds.
  This bill specifically mentions Puerto Rico. These moneys go to 
Puerto Rico, as well as to the rest of the territories and the States. 
So the money will be there if this bill passes.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Diaz-Balart), the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on 
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank Chairman Rogers 
for his leadership on ensuring that the United States is able to do 
everything necessary to combat Zika, and do so immediately.
  South Florida is ground zero in the United States for this disease. 
So the funding that this bill provides is, frankly, critically 
important to Florida, especially, as we know, because mosquitos are 
most active during the summer months. This horrible disease has the 
capability to infect many, and we must focus on stopping it before it 
continues to spread.
  So I believe, Mr. Speaker, that we need to provide every dollar 
needed for Zika prevention, treatment, and response programs and, I 
would repeat, not one penny less.
  This bill is the second part of a three-pronged effort to combat this 
disease. First was the almost $600 million in repurposed Ebola funds. 
Now we are providing an additional $622 million for, again, a total of 
over $1.2 billion to deal with this disease.
  So let's be clear: if more funds are needed, Congress will step up 
and do what is necessary to make sure that, if those funds were 
necessary sometime in the future, they would be available.
  It is also crucial, Mr. Speaker, that President Obama's 
administration and the Centers for Disease Control provide Congress 
with detailed information as to how they plan to spend these proposed 
funds.
  Congress also has a responsibility to protect American taxpayers so 
that their hard-earned dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, 
much unlike, Mr. Speaker, the fiasco with those so-called ``shovel-
ready'' programs. Let's make sure that we do not repeat that 
embarrassing fiasco and waste of taxpayers' money.
  So I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill, as it does provide the 
funds necessary to fight Zika immediately--immediately, Mr. Speaker--
again, while also making sure that we protect the hard-earned American 
people's tax dollars.
  I once again want to thank the chairman for doing this so quickly, so 
efficiently, because Florida is ground zero.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), our distinguished Democratic whip.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I like Mr. Diaz-Balart. But if I get sick, I 
hope it doesn't take 90 days for the emergency responders to come to my 
aid.
  February 22 is when the administration said we needed this money. 
Almost 90 days later, we are talking about one-third of what they said 
was necessary.
  Mr. Speaker, our Nation faces a very real and present danger from 
Zika. Our people face that crisis. Already, more than 1,200 Americans, 
including more than 110 pregnant women, have confirmed cases of Zika 
virus. Would that have been the case if we had acted on February 22? I 
do not know. But I certainly wouldn't want to rely on this Congress to 
enact anything in a timely fashion.
  We know that there is a link between Zika virus and severe birth 
defects, including microcephaly, which can be life-threatening and for 
which there is no cure. We saw a tragic picture of a child.
  Puerto Rico, with its 3.5 million American citizens, has been 
especially

[[Page H2796]]

hard-hit and needs help from the Federal Government to prevent and 
contain the spread of the virus and ensure access to health services 
for those affected, particularly pregnant women and children.
  Last week, Puerto Rico health officials reported the island's first 
confirmed case of Zika-related microcephaly.
  This is a public health crisis. And I guarantee you, if it had been a 
terrorist who had attacked, we would have responded on February 23.
  The President has requested $1.9 billion in emergency funding to 
combat the Zika outbreak, but that is not what House Republicans 
brought to the floor today. Instead, they are putting forward 
legislation that would provide just $662 million--less than a third, as 
I said.
  That means we can't fully fund the development of a vaccine; 
deployment of diagnostic testing, especially for pregnant women; and 
vector control to manage mosquito populations.
  In addition to its inadequate funding level, the Republican bill 
offsets the spending by further depleting funds that were appropriated 
to combat the Ebola virus. I know they are going to say they are going 
to backfill it. I won't hold my breath.
  The administration has already been forced to borrow more than half a 
billion dollars in Ebola accounts, while Congressional Republicans 
ignored its Zika supplemental funding request from February 22 to this 
day. That is no way--no way--to handle public health crises.
  I urge my colleagues on the Republican side to join us to respond 
effectively to the President's request.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 1 
minute.
  Mr. HOYER. Representative Vern Buchanan of Florida, who supports the 
President's request, said last week--not Steny Hoyer, a Democrat--but 
Vern Buchanan, a Republican:
  ``All Members of Congress should take this virus seriously and put 
aside partisanship-time is not on our side as the summer months draw 
near.''
  Senator Marco Rubio of Florida said in April:
  Congress is ``going to have to explain to people why it is that we 
sat around for weeks and did nothing on something of this magnitude.''
  That is Marco Rubio.
  Let's work together to pass an emergency supplemental.
  Steve Womack said this:
  ``If we fail to deal with the issue and there are hardships that 
would be posed on society in this country, you wouldn't be able to 
compute those costs.'' ``It's a dice roll to get into an argument about 
Zika funding and running the risk in having something catastrophic 
happen and we own it.''
  You will own it if this gets out of hand and we don't have the 
appropriate resources deployed now. It should have been 30 days ago, 60 
days ago, 90 days ago.
  Let's not have this become a crisis. Let's act now on the full sum 
necessary to meet this crisis.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.
  Does the gentleman not realize, the request from the National 
Institutes of Health for vaccine development, we put in $40 million and 
the money transferred from the so-called Ebola fund; in this bill, 
there is another $230 million just for vaccine development at NIH. That 
is every penny that they asked us for. So they are getting actually 
more. They asked for $270 million, and we are delivering $270 million.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. 
Young), a member of the Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. YOUNG of Iowa. I thank Chairman Rogers for yielding, for his 
leadership, and for taking this seriously.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Zika Response 
Appropriations Act. There is no question the Zika crisis presents a 
serious threat to our Nation's public health and an immediate, 
impactful response is required. The bill does such.
  This important legislation provides funding immediately for the most 
pressing needs, including care for infants and mothers, vaccine 
development, and efforts to control the spread of the disease.
  Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: this is not the final word on the fight 
against Zika. The funding level we are discussing today quickly and 
effectively funds much-need efforts for the current fiscal year, 2016. 
It is an immediate response, while making progress on regular order as 
well. And we will fund fiscal year 2017 expenditures, so there will be 
more.
  As has already been said, this bill is fully offset by using leftover 
funds to combat the Ebola outbreak and any unused administrative funds 
at the Department of Health and Humans Services.

                              {time}  2015

  It is the responsible and thoughtful approach to an issue and mission 
we all agree on, right, combating Zika?
  Some have argued the bill should fully fund the President's request. 
The fact that repurposed Ebola funds used to offset this bill remain 
unspent years later shows it is hard to predict how much it will cost 
to contain an outbreak, and where funds will be needed.
  The House is acting quickly and responsibly, as we make repeated 
requests of the administration to share a detailed plan. Repeatedly, we 
have gotten incomplete responses. That is troubling.
  The administration has no complete plan, but they want us to fund it. 
That is simply the wrong approach.
  Though we pass this bill today, work will continue tomorrow on fully 
funding an effective and comprehensive plan to stop the Zika virus. We 
are doing this. As we gather the information, we need to move forward.
  This bill responsibly and effectively provides the needed funding 
where the government is ready now to help those in need.
  Mr. Speaker, we can argue about process in this Chamber all night, 
but that will do nothing to help the women and children facing very 
real health dangers caused by the Zika virus.
  What will help them is passing this critical, targeted, and 
responsible legislation now, which provides needed funding now, where 
it can actually be used.
  Subcommittee Chairmen Cole and Granger, thank you for your leadership 
on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
articulate gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking 
member on the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, 
Education, and Related Agencies, who has been very clear on the need to 
combat the Zika virus.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, this bill is woefully inadequate. The Zika 
virus is a public health emergency. It is a crisis.
  Last week, 1,204 confirmed cases in the United States and its 
territories, over 100 of them pregnant women. One person has died.
  Temperatures are rising already and reaching high levels in the 
United States in the areas where these mosquitoes thrive, and we are 
told that this could spread to 30 States.
  The Olympics are less than 80 days away in Brazil. We are going to 
send our young men and women into harm's way.
  The window for us to act on this effort is closing, and the 
majority's Zika Response Appropriations Act is too little. It is too 
late. It only provides a third of the President's request.
  Without additional funding, the CDC will not be able to protect 
pregnant women by better understanding the link between Zika and 
adverse health effects. They will not be able to control and mitigate 
mosquito populations before the epidemic spreads further.
  They lose laboratory capacity, they lose the ability of surveillance 
as the outbreak is moving on.
  The most immediate needs of State and local public health departments 
are woefully underfunded by the House Republican bill. Our States' and 
our municipalities' emergency funds have been slashed.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the list of all of the States in 
this country and the loss of preparedness funds in order to be able to 
deal with the crisis.


[[Page H2797]]



                                                               PHEP CUTS FROM ZIKA TRANSFER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Grantee                      Cuts (dollars)        Cuts (%)                  Grantee               Cuts (dollars)        Cuts (%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama.....................................           -613,733              -6.90  Montana.......................           -139,375              -3.21
Alaska......................................           -194,836              -4.63  N. Mariana Islands............             -6,172              -1.72
American Samoa..............................             -6,600              -1,82  Nebraska......................           -245,839              -4.58
Arizona.....................................           -915,853              -7.74  Nevada........................           -390,223              -5.77
Arkansas....................................           -377,461              -5.70  New Hampshire.................           -187,880              -3.90
California..................................         -3,979,850              -9.35  New Jersey....................         -1,303,734              -8.36
Chicago.....................................           -530,926              -5.42  New Mexico....................           -275,903              -4.09
Colorado....................................           -706,343              -7.21  New York......................         -1,564,792              -7.90
Connecticut.................................           -490,363              -6.35  New York City.................         -1,158,820              -6.27
Delaware....................................           -143,256              -3.27  North Carolina................         -1,240,926              -8.32
District of Columbia........................           -142,165              -2.23  North Dakota..................           -194,836              -4.63
Florida.....................................         -2,653,185              -9.00  Ohio..........................         -1,548,159              -8.65
Georgia.....................................         -1,351,184              -8.44  Oklahoma......................           -499,358              -6.40
Guam........................................            -19,345              -3,98  Oregon........................           -522,990              -6.51
Hawaii......................................           -196,065              -4.01  Palau.........................             -2,546              -0.78
Idaho.......................................           -211,568              -4.20  Pennsylvania..................         -1,716,179              -8.79
Illinois....................................         -1,422,463              -8.51  Puerto Rico...................           -433,740              -6.06
Indiana.....................................           -872,687              -7.66  Rhode Island..................           -155,523              -3.45
Iowa........................................           -393,286              -5.80  South Carolina................           -605,876              -6.16
Kansas......................................           -388,911              -5.77  South Dakota..................           -118,947              -2.87
Kentucky....................................           -568,480              -6.72  Tennessee.....................           -857,750              -7.62
Los Angeles.................................         -1,575,170              -7.98  Texas.........................         -3,598,615              -9.55
Louisiana...................................           -613,015              -6.89  Utah..........................           -380,115              -5.71
Maine.......................................           -177,231              -3.77  Vermont.......................           -194,836              -4.63
Marshall Islands............................             -8,413              -2.21  Virgin Islands (US)...........            -12,633              -3.00
Maryland....................................           -856,366              -7.60  Virginia......................         -1,149,940              -7.64
Massachusetts...............................           -937,359              -7.14  Washington....................           -948,052              -7.81
Michigan....................................         -1,310,210              -7.86  West Virginia.................           -242,010              -4.54
Micronesia..................................            -12,798              -3.03  Wisconsin.....................           -742,890              -6.41
Minnesota...................................           -744,017              -6.61  Wyoming.......................           -194,836              -4.63
Mississippi.................................           -384,621              -5.74  ..............................  .................  .................
                                                                                                                   -------------------------------------
Missouri....................................           -818,745              -7.52  TOTAL.........................          44,250,00               7.23
                                                                                                                                    0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  Ms. DeLAURO. While the administration requested $743 million for 
CDC's public health activities, the House bill provides only $120 
million, 84 percent below the request.
  Who are we kidding?
  This is going to put millions of pregnant women in danger. According 
to the CDC, pregnant women are already facing unacceptably long delays 
in learning Zika test results.
  Physicians are advising women not to get pregnant. Pregnant women are 
scared to death about what is going to happen to the child that they 
are carrying. Director Tom Frieden has said that experts estimate a 
single child with birth defects can cost $10 million to care for.
  We need to prevent this. And the amount of money that the majority 
has talked about is inadequate to prevent it. If each child takes $10 
million to care for, and we take a look at $622 million, we are going 
to look at our ability to take care of 62 children who might be 
affected with microcephaly. This says nothing about what the child's 
quality of life is, the delays in learning to speak, to walk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 
minute.
  Ms. DeLAURO. It is a delay in learning to speak, walk, hear and eat. 
Imagine.
  But we can stop this crisis before it gets worse. We have to act now, 
and we have to fully fund the President's request. It is the 
responsible thing to do. More importantly, it is the moral thing to do.
  Months from now, when the results of our inaction become apparent, we 
will ask ourselves, why did we delay? Why did we wait?
  You know, I do not often quote Senator Marco Rubio, but yesterday he 
said this about the House bill, and I quote: ``Frankly, that's just not 
going to cut it. If we don't spend more than that on the front end, I 
think we are going to spend a lot more later because the problem is not 
going to go away.''
  I could not agree more. We need to act now. That is our 
responsibility.
  The President's request was in February. It is now almost the end of 
May. People are suffering, and we have the power in this body to stop 
that.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Joyce), a member of our committee.
  Mr. JOYCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5243, the 
Zika Response Appropriations Act of 2016. I would like to acknowledge 
the thoughtful leadership of Chairman Rogers on this matter.
  The bill provides $622.1 million for the Department of Health and 
Human Services, the State Department, and USAID, to fight and prevent 
the spread of the Zika virus. This funding will be available 
immediately. This funding is for this fiscal year only, available 
September 30, 2016. This funding is entirely offset.
  Finally, the bill contains strong oversight measures to ensure 
responsible and effective use of taxpayer dollars. The resources 
provided in the bill are in addition to the $589 million the Obama 
administration has already identified to repurpose to fight Zika. In 
other words, $1.2 billion will be in place to combat the virus.
  Please stand with me today in support of H.R. 5243.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, may I ask how much time I have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from New York has 8\1/2\ 
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Kentucky has 4 minutes remaining.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentlewoman from New 
York and let me thank the chairman of the full committee, and let me 
thank the health scientists and doctors who have given us the real 
story of this case.
  Mr. Speaker, the first Ebola case was in Texas, the first case in the 
United States. And the CDC says that we have not extinguished or 
eliminated Ebola.
  The proposal today is not $1.2 billion. It is $600 million because 
you have taken $600 million or so out of the Ebola. And the doctors 
indicate that there are about 8 clusters or more of Ebola in Africa, 
where 85 CDC personnel are there. And if one case breaks out, we will 
need 1,000 personnel to deal with it.
  So what are we doing with the Zika funding if we are not providing 
the Centers for Disease Control what they need, $10 million to care for 
a child?
  They do not have the tools in order to do it. They cannot. People 
carrying the Zika virus do not know that they have the Zika virus and, 
as well, they have asked for $800 million, which you are not giving to 
them.
  This is the epicenter of the potential of the Zika virus in the 
United States.
  The idea that there is sitting water in places like the Gulf region, 
the idea that people travel, and the person who is traveling has a 
mosquito that bites them, and then they--that mosquito can transmit it.
  Here are the mosquito cesspools in Houston, Texas.
  So today I stand in opposition to the underlying proposal. We need 
the $1.9 billion that the administration has asked for. We cannot rob 
from Peter to pay Paul.
  If you listen to the diagnosis, or you listen to the assessment, the 
doctors are saying that the Zika virus invades

[[Page H2798]]

the brain of the baby and destroys that brain and, therefore, we do not 
know the long-term effects of a woman or of those who have not yet been 
assessed of the Zika virus.
  This is the wrong way to go. Vote against this bill. Give what the 
President wants and the CDC wants now.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in opposition to H.R. 5243, the ``Zika 
Response Appropriations Act of 2016,'' because this appropriations 
measure falls short of what is needed to aggressively address the 
enormity of the Zika Virus threat to the Americas and the United 
States, with particular concern for Puerto Rico.
  I thank President Obama for his leadership in requesting $1.9 billion 
to address the threat of the Zika Virus, and facing congressional delay 
he took funds from Ebola response to prepare the nation to face the 
Zika Virus threat.
  Let us not forget--Ebola was on our doorstep last year before 
Congress acted and there are still Ebola hot spots that are occurring, 
which have to be addressed, but we now lack the resources to deal with 
that ever present threat.
  I am committed to doing everything I can to address the threat of 
Zika Virus, but I am not supportive of tricks or misguided strategies 
to get legislation to the House floor in the name of Zika prevention 
that will do too little; and funding that will abruptly end on 
September 30, 2016.
  As the founder and Chair of the Children's Caucus and a senior member 
of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I am acutely aware of how 
dangerous the Zika Virus is to women who may be pregnant or may become 
pregnant should they be exposed to the Caribbean.
  Houston, Texas, like many cities, towns, and parishes along the Gulf 
Coast, has a tropical climate hospitable to mosquitoes that carry the 
Zika Virus like parts of Central and South America, as well as the 
Caribbean.
  For this reason, I am sympathetic to those members who have districts 
along the Gulf Coast.
  These Gulf Coast areas, which include Houston, the third largest city 
in the nation, are known to have both types of the Zika Virus carrying 
mosquitoes: the Aedes Aegypti the Asian Tiger Mosquito; which is why I 
held a meeting in Houston on March 10, 2016 about this evolving health 
threat.
  I convened this meeting with Houston, Harris County and State 
officials at every level of responsibility to combat the Zika Virus and 
to discuss preparations that would mitigate its.
  The participants included Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean of the National 
School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor 
College of Medicine and Dr. Dubboun, Director of the Harris County 
Public Health Environmental Services Mosquito Control Division who gave 
strong input on the critical need to address the threat on a multi-
pronged approach.
  The potential for the Zika Virus outbreaks in the United States if we 
do not act is real, and the people on the front lines are state and 
local governments who must prepare for mosquito season, establish 
community oriented education campaigns, provide Zika Virus prevent 
resources to women who live in areas where poverty is present, and 
environmental remediation of mosquito breeding near where people live.
  The assumption that everyone has air conditioning; window and door 
screens that are in good repair or present at all; does not take into 
consideration the pockets of poverty that are present in every major 
city including many towns, counties, parishes, and cities along the 
Gulf Coast.
  The 18th Congressional District of Texas, which I represent, has a 
tropical climate and is very likely to confront the challenge of Zika 
Virus carrying mosquitoes before mosquito season ends in the fall.
  Mr. Dubboun, Director of the Harris County Public Health 
Environmental Services Mosquito Control Division stressed that we 
cannot spray our way out of the Zika Virus threat.
  He was particularly cautious about the over use of spraying because 
of its collateral threat to the environment and people.
  We should not forget that Flint, Michigan was an example of short-
sighted thinking on the part of government decision makers, which 
resulted in the contamination of that city's water supply.
  The participants in the meeting I held in Houston represented the 
senior persons at every state and local agency with responsibility for 
Zika Virus response.
  The expert view of those present was that we need a unity of effort 
plan to address the Zika Virus in the Houston and Harris County area 
that will include every aspect of the community.
  The collective wisdom of these experts revealed that we should not 
let the fear of the Zika Virus control public policy.
  Instead we should get in front of the problem then we can control the 
Zika Virus from its source--targeting mosquito breeding environments.
  The real fight against the Zika Virus will be fought neighborhood by 
neighborhood and will rely upon the resources and expertise of local 
government working closely with State governments supported by federal 
government agencies.
  The consensus of Texas, Houston, and Harris County experts is that we 
make significant strides to stay ahead of the arrival of mosquito 
transmission of Zika Virus if we act now.
  The CDC said that for the period January 1, 2015 to May 11, 2016, the 
number of cases are as follows:


                           the united states

  Travel-associated cases reported: 503
  Locally acquired through mosquito bites reported: 0
  Total: 503
  Pregnant: 48
  Sexually transmitted: 10
  Guillain-Barre syndrome: 1


                             us territories

  Travel-associated cases reported: 3
  Mosquito acquired cases reported: 698
  Total: 701
  Pregnant: 65
  Guillain-Barre syndrome: 5
  There are 49 countries and territories in our hemisphere where 
mosquito borne transmission of the Zika Virus is the primary way the 
virus is spread include:
  American Samoa; Aruba; Belize; Barbados; Bolivia; Brazil; Bonaire; 
Cape Verde; Central America; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Curacao; 
Dominica; Dominican Republic; El Salvador; Ecuador; Fiji; French 
Guiana; Grenada; the Grenadines; Guatemala; Guadeloupe; Haiti; 
Honduras; Islands Guyana; Jamaica; Martinique; Kosrae (Federated States 
of Micronesia); Marshall Islands; Mexico; Nicaragua; New Caledonia; the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Panama; Papua New Guinea, Paraguay; Peru; 
Samoa, a US territory; Saint Barthelemy; Saint Lucia; Saint Martin; 
Saint Vincent; Saint Maarten; Suriname; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; US 
Virgin Islands, Venezuela and particular note is made by the CDC by 
listing the 2016 Summer Olympics (Rio 2016) separately.
  As of May 11, 2016, there were more than 1,200 confirmed Zika cases 
in the continental United States and U.S. Territories, including over 
110 pregnant women with confirmed cases of the Zika virus.
  The Zika virus is spreading in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, 
American Samoa and abroad, and there will likely be mosquito-borne 
transmission within the continental United States in the coming summer 
months.
  The most important approach to control the spread of Zika Virus is 
poverty and the conditions that may exist in poor communities can be of 
greatest risk for the Zika Virus breeding habitats for vector 
mosquitoes.
  The spread of disease is opportunistic--Zika Virus is an 
opportunistic disease that is spread by 2 mosquitoes out of the 57 
verities.
  We should be planning to fight those 2 mosquitoes in a multi-pronged 
way with every resource we can bring to the battle.


                      sources of zika virus spread

  Poverty is where the mosquito will find places to breed in great 
numbers, but these mosquitoes will not be limited to low income areas 
nor does the disease does not care how much someone earns.
  The Aedes Aegypti or Yellow Fever mosquito has evolved to feed on 
people for the blood needed to lay its eggs.
  This mosquito can breed in as little as a cap of dirty water; it will 
breed in aquariums in homes; pant water catching dishes; the well of 
discarded tires; puddles or pools of water; ditches; and children's 
wading pools;
  Although water may evaporate mosquito eggs will remain viable and 
when it rains again or water is placed where they are the process for 
mosquitos development resumes.
  Our enemies are those who illegal dump tires; open ditches, torn 
screens, or no screens; tropical climates that create heat and humidity 
that force people without air conditioning to open windows or face heat 
exhaustion.


                   the battle against the zika virus

  It might be hard for people who do not live in the tropical climates 
along the Gulf Coast to understand what a heat index is--it is a 
combination of temperature and humidity, which can mean that 
temperatures in summer are over 100 degrees.
  Zika Virus Prevention Kits like those being distributed in Puerto 
Rico, which are vital to the effort there to protect women, will be 
essential to the fight against Zika Virus along the Gulf Coast.
  These kits should include mosquito nets for beds.
  Bed nets have proven to be essential in the battle to reduce malaria 
by providing protection and reducing the ability of biting insects to 
come in contact with people.
  Mosquito netting has fine holes that are big enough to allow breezes 
to easily pass through, but small enough to keep mosquitoes and other 
biting insects out.

[[Page H2799]]

  The kits should also include DEET mosquito replant products that can 
be sprayed on clothing to protect against mosquito bites.
  Mr. Speaker, we should be preparing aggressively so that this nation 
does not have a reoccurrence of what happened during the Ebola crisis--
when the Federal government seemed unprepared because this Congress was 
unmoved by the science, until domestic transmission of the disease were 
recorded.


                   what we know about the zika virus

  The Zika Virus is a neurogenic virus that can attack the brain tissue 
of children in their mother's womb.
  The Zika Virus will be difficult to detect and track in all cases 
because 4 in 5 people who get the disease will have no symptoms.
  We know that 33 states have one or both of the vector mosquitoes.
  Dr. Peter Hotez said that we can anticipate that the Americas 
including the United States can expect 4 million the Zika Virus cases 
in the next four months and to date there are over a million cases in 
Brazil.
  The virus has been transmitted through sexual contact.
  We know that evidence of the Zika Virus in newborns in the United 
States may not become apparent until we are in the late fall or winter 
of next year.
  The most serious outcome the Zika Virus exposure is birth defects 
that can occur during pregnancy if the mother is exposed to the Zika 
Virus.
  Infections of pregnant women can result in:
  Still births;
  The rate of Microcephaly based on Zika Virus exposure far exceeds 
that number.
  Microcephaly is brain underdevelopment either at birth or the brain 
failing to develop properly after birth, which can cause:
  Difficulty walking;
  Difficulty hearing; and
  Difficulty with speech.


                          what we do not know

  Researchers and scientists at the CDC; NIH and HHS do not know how 
the disease attacks the nervous system of developing babies.
  They cannot answer what the long term health prospects are for 
children born with such a severe brain birth defect.
  They have not discovered the right vaccine to fight the disease--
which requires care to be sure that it is safe and effective especially 
in pregnant women or women who may become pregnant.
  They do not know what plan will work and to what degree if any a 
tight network of mosquito control established in areas most likely to 
have the Zika Virus carrying mosquitoes will work as well.
  How the Zika Virus may evolve over time and what they may mean for 
human health.
  I urge my colleagues to reject H.R. 5243, and support the President's 
request for $1.9 billion to fight the Zika Virus threat.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris), a member of our committee and a 
medical physician.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the gentlewoman from Texas. We 
should be thankful for the scientists we have, whether it is at the 
CDC, whether it is at the NIH, those public health officials who are 
going to make sure that the mosquito control occurs that is necessary, 
to those who are at BARDA and other agencies where we develop the 
vaccines that are necessary, and do the necessary research.
  This House bill, in distinction to the President's request, is 
targeted and well thought out. This bill deals just with Zika. The 
President's request didn't. It dealt with whatever other infectious 
disease comes down the road. Yet, Zika is what is in front of us now.
  Mr. Speaker, it is going to take 2 to 3 years to complete the 
necessary research and to complete the vaccine development and bring it 
to market.
  This bill deals with the needs over the next 6 months. The 
administration requested a total of about $1.6 billion in research, 
because there is about $300 million that has nothing to do, really, 
with researching and curing Zika. So it is $1.6 billion over 3 years.
  The House took the position we actually need to front-load that. We 
need to deal with this fiscal year, so we put together a package of 
$1.2 billion to be spent over the next 6 months to make sure that we 
start the necessary research, we start the vaccine development, and 
deal with those outyears through the normal appropriations process 
which is going to take place over the next 2 years.
  So our approach is actually a much more valid approach, targeted, 
well thought out, will provide all the necessary funds to the CDC, NIH, 
for the vaccine development and the mosquito control over the next 6 
months, when we need it most, and then add additional funds as 
necessary, as science learns more about what we need.
  We can't possibly know what we need now. The administration put a 
request without possibly knowing what we need 2 or 3 years in the 
future. We will find out what we need and we will add those.
  Mr. Speaker, this is the right approach. This is actually more money 
up front than the administration has asked for, which is exactly the 
correct approach to deal with this imminent threat to the health of 
U.S. citizens here and in Puerto Rico.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz).
  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, as an emergency medicine physician and a 
public health expert myself, I rise today to strongly oppose this 
inadequate Zika funding bill, and to urge my colleagues to fully fund 
our Nation's efforts to fight the Zika virus.
  In the emergency department, you don't just partially treat a 
patient. This is called negligence. You don't just take out a third of 
the cancer. You don't just give a third of the antibiotic dose for a 
severe pneumonia.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is less than a third of what is needed to 
treat and protect women and their children from the Zika virus. It is 
less than a third of the prescription from the CDC and the experts 
needed to protect American families from Zika.
  Tomorrow I am voting ``no'' because I demand that we fully fund 
efforts to protect families, pregnant women and their children from 
Zika.
  Mr. Speaker, time is past due for you to do your job and address the 
Zika virus threat. We must completely fund efforts to protect American 
families from Zika. The American people deserve no less.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.

                              {time}  2030

  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Florida (Ms. Graham).
  Ms. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, more than 120 Members and every Democrat of 
the Florida delegation have asked for a vote on fully funding the fight 
against Zika.
  In Florida, we have had more than 100 recorded cases of Zika. There 
is no doubt we are in the midst of a public health emergency. There are 
pregnant women who are afraid to go out at night. As a mom myself, I am 
worried about my own daughter and her future. Our State's tourism 
industry counts on thousands and thousands of people traveling to 
Florida. Those provide thousands of jobs, and millions of dollars flow 
into our economy. All of that is at risk.
  We can't wait, and we shouldn't be forced to fight this virus with 
one hand tied behind our back.
  Scientists and our public health officials have asked for $1.9 
billion. We should stop playing games, Mr. Speaker, and fulfill the 
request.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  I would like to repeat again, as a Member who has been in this House 
and has had the privilege of being part of many responses to 
emergencies, this is an emergency.
  In last year's omnibus, Congress used emergency funding without 
offsets to pay for wildland fire suppression mostly in the West. 
Congress provided emergency funding to respond to two hurricanes and 
flooding in the Carolinas and Texas, again without offsets.
  When those disasters struck, my colleagues, we didn't steal money 
from prior disaster response like the emergency funding provided for 
hurricane damage in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, 
storms in West Virginia, and tornadoes in Oklahoma and Kentucky. We 
paid for those emergencies. We did not steal from any other account, my 
colleagues.
  In fact, after the 2013 Oklahoma tornadoes, my friend, Chairman 
Rogers, told reporters: ``I don't think disasters of this type should 
be offset. We have an obligation to help these people.''
  So, my friends, I just want to emphasize again, we have a crisis. We 
have

[[Page H2800]]

people suffering. The potential is enormous. These are Americans. These 
are citizens. Whether it is here or in Puerto Rico, we have a 
responsibility to respond.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, for those who are concerned that this is not an adequate 
amount of money at the right time, let me just say this. The money that 
the President requested of us, the $1.9 billion, was for the balance of 
this year and all of next year--17\1/2\ months, $1.9 billion.
  In this bill, plus what we earlier forced them to put into these 
matters, almost $600 million, that $600 million, this $622 million is 
just for 4\1/2\ months, from now until the end of the fiscal year. I 
say that is more than adequate. If there is more needed, when the 
regular appropriations bills come up for fiscal year 2017, you heard 
Chairman Cole and Chairman Granger say we will put in the hopper 
whatever is needed at that time. So this is wholly adequate. It is more 
than adequate in terms of money.
  Now, for those who are concerned about whether or not we are taking 
too much money away from Ebola, in the first place, that fund is not 
just for Ebola. When it was created 2 years ago, it was for Ebola and 
other infectious diseases. That is what we are dealing with here. We 
are asking the administration to use that money. This is an infectious 
disease. You have got over $2 billion laying there unused left over 
from what was not spent in eradicating Ebola.
  By the way, the World Health Organization now says that Ebola is no 
longer an international emergency.
  So the money in the so-called Ebola--I call it the infectious disease 
account--that money is available and needs to be spent now. That is 
what we told the President shortly after he said he was going to send 
us a supplemental request. We said to use the money you have.
  Finally, they did spend $589 million of that. Now we are adding to 
that with some $622 million. So there is plenty of money there. There 
is plenty of money left in the till of the infectious disease account 
if it is needed for Ebola or anything else. There is upwards of $2 
billion laying there unused.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 736, the previous question is ordered on 
the bill.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.


                           Motion to Recommit

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at 
the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentlewoman opposed to the bill?
  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. I am opposed to the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to 
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Ms. Castor of Florida moves to recommit H.R. 5243 to the 
     Committee on Appropriations and Committee on the Budget with 
     instructions to report the same to the House forthwith with 
     the following amendment:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

                                TITLE I

                DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

                      FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'', 
     $10,000,000, to remain available until expended, to prevent, 
     prepare for, and respond to Zika virus, other vector-borne 
     diseases, or other infectious diseases and related health 
     outcomes, domestically and internationally, and to develop 
     necessary medical countermeasures and vaccines, including the 
     review, regulation, and post market surveillance of vaccines 
     and therapies, and administrative activities: Provided, That 
     such amount is designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, 
     except that such amounts shall be available only if the 
     President subsequently so designates such amounts and 
     transmits such designation to the Congress.

               CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION

                CDC-WIDE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAM SUPPORT

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For an additional amount for ``CDC-Wide Activities and 
     Program Support'', $743,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to Zika virus, 
     other vector-borne diseases, or other infectious diseases and 
     related health outcomes, domestically and internationally; 
     and to carry out titles II, III, and XVII of the Public 
     Health Service (``PHS'') Act with respect to domestic 
     preparedness and global health: Provided, That products 
     purchased with these funds may, at the discretion of the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services, be deposited in the 
     Strategic National Stockpile under section 319F-2 of the PHS 
     Act: Provided further, That funds may be used for purchase 
     and insurance of official motor vehicles in foreign 
     countries: Provided further, That the provisions in section 
     317S of the PHS Act shall apply to the use of funds 
     appropriated under this heading as determined by the Director 
     of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (`CDC') to 
     be appropriate: Provided further, That funds appropriated 
     under this heading may be used for grants for the 
     construction, alteration, or renovation of nonfederally owned 
     facilities to improve preparedness and response capability at 
     the State and local level: Provided further, That funds 
     appropriated under this heading may be used for acquisition 
     of real property (including long-term ground leases) and 
     equipment, and construction, demolition, or renovation of 
     facilities, including construction on leased land: Provided 
     further, That funds appropriated under this heading may be 
     transferred by the Director of CDC to other accounts of the 
     CDC for the purposes provided under this heading: Provided 
     further, That such transfer authority is in addition to any 
     other transfer authority provided by law: Provided further, 
     That, upon a determination that all or part of the funds 
     transferred from this appropriation are not necessary for the 
     purposes provided herein, such amounts may be transferred 
     back to this appropriation: Provided further, That such 
     amount is designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, 
     except that such amounts shall be available only if the 
     President subsequently so designates such amounts and 
     transmits such designation to the Congress.

                     NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

         NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES

       For an additional amount for ``National Institute of 
     Allergy and Infectious Diseases'', $277,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended, to prevent, prepare for, and 
     respond to Zika virus, other vector-borne diseases, or other 
     infectious diseases and related health outcomes, domestically 
     and internationally, including expenses related to carrying 
     out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act: Provided, That 
     such funds may be transferred by the Director of the National 
     Institutes of Health (``NIH'') to other accounts of the NIH 
     for the purposes provided under this heading: Provided 
     further, That such transfer authority is in addition to any 
     other transfer authority provided by law: Provided further, 
     That, upon a determination that all or part of the funds 
     transferred from this appropriation are not necessary for the 
     purposes provided herein, such amounts may be transferred 
     back to this appropriation: Provided further, That such 
     amount is designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, 
     except that such amounts shall be available only if the 
     President subsequently so designates such amounts and 
     transmits such designation to the Congress.

                        OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

            PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES EMERGENCY FUND

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For an additional amount for ``Public Health and Social 
     Services Emergency Fund'', $233,000,000, to remain available 
     until expended, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to Zika 
     virus, other vector-borne diseases, or other infectious 
     diseases and related health outcomes, domestically and 
     internationally; to develop necessary countermeasures and 
     vaccines, including the development and purchase of vaccines, 
     therapeutics, diagnostics, necessary medical supplies, and 
     administrative activities; for carrying out titles II, III, 
     and XVII of the PHS Act with respect to domestic preparedness 
     and global health; and for carrying out title III of the PHS 
     Act and title V of the Social Security Act to provide health 
     care and related services in areas affected by Zika virus: 
     Provided, That funds appropriated under this heading may be 
     used to procure security countermeasures (as defined in 
     section 319F-2(c)(1)(B) of the PHS Act, as amended by this 
     Act): Provided further, That paragraphs (1) and (7)(C) of 
     subsection (c) of section 319F-2 of the PHS Act, but no other 
     provisions of such section, shall apply to such security 
     countermeasures procured with funds appropriated under this 
     heading: Provided further, That products purchased with funds 
     appropriated under this heading

[[Page H2801]]

     may, at the discretion of the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services, be deposited in the Strategic National Stockpile 
     under section 319F-2 of the PHS Act: Provided further, That 
     funds appropriated under this heading may be transferred to 
     the Covered Countermeasure Process Fund established under 
     section 319F-4 of the PHS Act: Provided further, That funds 
     appropriated under this heading may, for purposes of 
     providing primary health services in areas affected by Zika 
     virus, other vector-borne diseases, or other infectious 
     diseases, be used to assign National Health Service Corps 
     (``NHSC'') members to Puerto Rico and other territories, 
     notwithstanding the assignment priorities and limitations in 
     or under sections 333(a)(1)(D), 333(b), or 333A(a) of the PHS 
     Act, and to make National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment 
     Program awards under section 338B of such Act: Provided 
     further, That funds may be awarded for projects of regional 
     and national significance in Puerto Rico and other 
     territories authorized under section 501 of the Social 
     Security Act, notwithstanding section 502 of such Act: 
     Provided further, That funds may be used for the alteration 
     or renovation of nonfederally owned facilities to improve 
     preparedness and response capability at the State and local 
     level: Provided further, That funds appropriated under this 
     heading may be transferred to other appropriations of the 
     Department of Health and Human Services, as determined by the 
     Secretary to be appropriate, to be used for the purposes 
     specified under this heading: Provided further, That any 
     transfers of these funds shall be made in consultation with 
     the Office of Management and Budget: Provided further, That 
     the transfer authority provided under this heading is in 
     addition to any other transfer authority provided by law: 
     Provided further, That, upon a determination that all or part 
     of the funds transferred from this appropriation are not 
     necessary for the purposes provided herein, such amounts may 
     be transferred back to this appropriation: Provided further, 
     That such amount is designated by the Congress as an 
     emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of 
     the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 
     1985, except that such amounts shall be available only if the 
     President subsequently so designates such amounts and 
     transmits such designation to the Congress.

                           GENERAL PROVISIONS

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 101.  For purposes of preventing, preparing for, and 
     responding to Zika virus, other vector-borne diseases, or 
     other infectious diseases and related health outcomes 
     domestically and internationally, the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services may use funds provided in this Act--
       (1) to acquire, lease, construct, alter, renovate, equip, 
     furnish, or manage facilities outside of the United States, 
     as necessary to conduct such programs, in consultation with 
     the Secretary of State, either directly for the use of the 
     United States Government or for the use, pursuant to grants, 
     direct assistance, or cooperative agreements, of public or 
     nonprofit private institutions or agencies in participating 
     foreign countries; and
       (2) to enter into contracts with individuals for the 
     provision of personal services (as described in section 
     37.104 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations) within the 
     United States and abroad: Provided, That such individuals may 
     not be deemed employees of the United States for the purpose 
     of any law administered by the Office of Personnel 
     Management.
       Sec. 102.  Section 3304 of title 5, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(g) The heads of the Department of Health and Human 
     Services, Department of State, and the Agency for 
     International Development may appoint, without regard to the 
     provisions of sections 3309 through 3319, candidates needed 
     for positions to perform critical work in direct response to 
     a public health threat requiring an immediate response for 
     which--
       ``(1) public notice has been given; and
       ``(2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services has 
     determined that such a public health threat exists.''.
       Sec. 103.  Funds appropriated by this Act may be used to 
     reimburse accounts administered by the Department of Health 
     and Human Services for obligations incurred for Zika virus 
     response prior to the date of the enactment of this Act.
       Sec. 104.  Funds appropriated to the Department of Health 
     and Human Services in this Act may be transferred to and 
     merged with other Federal accounts for purposes specified in 
     this Act following consultation with the Office of Management 
     and Budget: Provided, That such transfer authority shall be 
     in addition to any other transfer authority provided by law: 
     Provided further, That, upon a determination that all or part 
     of funds so transferred from an account are not necessary, 
     such amounts may be transferred back to that account.
       Sec. 105.  Section 319F-2(c)(1)(B) of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6b(c)(1)(B)) is amended--
       (1) in clause (i)(III)(bb), by striking ``; or'' and 
     inserting a semicolon;
       (2) in clause (ii), by striking the period and inserting 
     ``; or''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new clause:
       ``(iii)(I) the Secretary determines to be a necessary 
     countermeasure to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or treat harm 
     from any infectious disease that may pose a threat to the 
     public health; and
       ``(II)(aa) is approved or cleared under chapter V of the 
     Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or licensed under 
     section 351 of this Act; or
       ``(bb) is a countermeasure for which the Secretary 
     determines that sufficient and satisfactory clinical 
     experience or research data (including data, if available, 
     from pre-clinical and clinical trials) support a reasonable 
     conclusion that the countermeasure will qualify for approval 
     or licensing within 10 years after the date of a 
     determination under subclause (I).''.
       Sec. 106. (a)(1) For purposes of title XIX of the Social 
     Security Act, for the one-year period beginning with the 
     first day of the first full fiscal quarter following the date 
     of the enactment of this section, the Federal medical 
     assistance percentage (``FMAP'') under section 1905(b) of 
     such Act for the territories specified in paragraph (2) shall 
     be increased from 55 percent to 65 percent. Any net increase 
     in payment to such a territory under section 1903(a) of such 
     Act, which is attributable to such increased FMAP, shall be 
     disregarded in applying sections 1108(f) and 1108(g) of such 
     Act to the territory.
       (2) The territories specified in this paragraph are the 
     Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
     Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana 
     Islands.
       (b) With respect to the amount needed for purposes of 
     implementing the increased FMAP under subsection (a) for each 
     of fiscal years 2016 and 2017, such amount is designated by 
     the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985, except that such amounts shall be 
     available only if the President subsequently so designates 
     such amounts and transmits such designation to the Congress.

                                TITLE II

                          DEPARTMENT OF STATE

                   ADMINISTRATION OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

                    DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR PROGRAMS

       For an additional amount for ``Diplomatic and Consular 
     Programs'', $14,594,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2017, for necessary expenses to support response efforts 
     related to the Zika virus and related health outcomes, other 
     vector-borne diseases, or other infectious diseases: 
     Provided, That up to $2,419,000 may be made available for 
     medical evacuation costs of any other Department or agency of 
     the United States under the chief of mission authority, and 
     may be transferred to any other appropriation of such 
     Department or agency for such costs: Provided further, That 
     such amount is designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, 
     except that such amounts shall be available only if the 
     President subsequently so designates such amounts and 
     transmits such designation to the Congress.

           EMERGENCIES IN THE DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICE

       For an additional amount for ``Emergencies in the 
     Diplomatic and Consular Services'', $4,000,000 for necessary 
     expenses to support response efforts related to the Zika 
     virus and related health outcomes, other vector-borne 
     diseases, or other infectious diseases, to remain available 
     until expended: Provided, That such amount is designated by 
     the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985, except that such amounts shall be 
     available only if the President subsequently so designates 
     such amounts and transmits such designation to the Congress.

                   REPATRIATION LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT

       For an additional amount for ``Repatriation Loans Program 
     Account'' for the cost of direct loans, $1,000,000, to 
     support the response efforts related to the Zika virus and 
     related health outcomes, other vector-borne diseases, or 
     other infectious diseases, to remain available until 
     expended: Provided, That such costs, including the cost of 
     modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of 
     the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That 
     such funds are available to subsidize an additional amount of 
     gross obligations for the principal amount of direct loans 
     not to exceed $1,880,406: Provided further, That such amount 
     is designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, except that such 
     amounts shall be available only if the President subsequently 
     so designates such amounts and transmits such designation to 
     the Congress.

           UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

                  FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT

                           OPERATING EXPENSES

       For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses'', 
     $10,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2017, 
     for necessary expenses to support response efforts related to 
     the Zika virus and related health outcomes, other vector-
     borne diseases, or other infectious diseases: Provided, That 
     such amounts are designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to section

[[Page H2802]]

     251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985, except that such amounts shall be 
     available only if the President subsequently so designates 
     such amounts and transmits such designation to the Congress.

                     BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE

                  FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT

                         GLOBAL HEALTH PROGRAMS

       For an additional amount for ``Global Health Programs'', 
     $325,000,000, to remain available until expended, for 
     necessary expenses for assistance or research to prevent, 
     treat, or otherwise respond to the Zika virus and related 
     health outcomes, other vector-borne diseases, or other 
     infectious diseases: Provided, That funds appropriated under 
     this heading may be made available for multi-year funding 
     commitments to incentivize the development of global health 
     technologies: Provided further, That such amounts are 
     designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, except that such 
     amounts shall be available only if the President subsequently 
     so designates such amounts and transmits such designation to 
     the Congress.

                   INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE

                          DEPARTMENT OF STATE

    NONPROLIFERATION, ANTI-TERRORISM, DEMINING AND RELATED PROGRAMS

       For an additional amount for ``Nonproliferation, Anti-
     Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs'', $8,000,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2017, for necessary 
     expenses to support response and research efforts related to 
     the Zika virus and related health outcomes, other vector-
     borne diseases, or other infectious diseases: Provided, That 
     such amounts are designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, 
     except that such amounts shall be available only if the 
     President subsequently so designates such amounts and 
     transmits such designation to the Congress.

                        MULTILATERAL ASSISTANCE

                  FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT

                INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PROGRAMS

       For an additional amount for ``International Organizations 
     and Programs'', $13,500,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2017, for necessary expenses to support 
     response and research efforts related to the Zika virus and 
     related health outcomes, other vector-borne diseases, or 
     other infectious diseases: Provided, That such amounts are 
     designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, except that such 
     amounts shall be available only if the President subsequently 
     so designates such amounts and transmits such designation to 
     Congress.

                           GENERAL PROVISIONS


          use of ebola balances for other infectious diseases

       Sec. 201. Unobligated balances of amounts appropriated 
     under title IX of the Department of State, Foreign 
     Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2015 
     (division J of Public Law 113-235) shall also be available 
     for necessary expenses for operations, assistance, or 
     research to prevent, treat, or otherwise respond to the Zika 
     virus and related health outcomes, other vector-borne 
     diseases, or other infectious diseases: Provided, That 
     amounts repurposed pursuant to this section are designated by 
     the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985, except that such amounts shall be 
     available only if the President subsequently so designates 
     such amounts and transmits such designation to the Congress.


                           transfer authority

       Sec. 202.  (a) Funds appropriated by this title under the 
     headings ``Global Health Programs'', ``Nonproliferation, 
     Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs'', 
     ``International Organizations and Programs'', and ``Operating 
     Expenses'' may be transferred to, and merged with, funds 
     appropriated by this title under such headings to carry out 
     the purposes of this Act.
       (b) Funds appropriated by this title under the headings 
     ``Diplomatic and Consular Programs'', ``Emergencies in the 
     Diplomatic and Consular Service'', and ``Repatriation Loans 
     Program Account'' may be transferred to, and merged with, 
     funds appropriated by this title under such headings to carry 
     out the purposes of this Act.
       (c) The transfer authorities provided by this section are 
     in addition to any other transfer authority provided by law.
       (d) Upon a determination that all or part of the funds 
     transferred pursuant to the authorities provided by this 
     section are not necessary for such purposes, such amounts may 
     be transferred back to such appropriations


                        reimbursement authority

       Sec. 203. Funds appropriated by this Act may be used to 
     reimburse accounts administered by the United States Agency 
     for International Development and the Department of State for 
     obligations incurred for Zika virus response prior to the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.


         availability of funds for international organizations

       Sec. 204. Section 307(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
     1961 shall not apply to funds appropriated by this Act.


                       notwithstanding authority

       Sec. 205. Funds appropriated or otherwise made available 
     under this Act and prior Acts making appropriations for the 
     Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
     that are made available to support Zika virus response and 
     related activities may be made available notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law.


                      personal service contractors

       Sec. 206. Funds available in this Act to support response 
     efforts related to the Zika virus and related health 
     outcomes, other vector-borne diseases, or other infectious 
     diseases may be used to enter into contracts with individuals 
     for the provision of personal services (as described in 
     section 37.104 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations) in 
     the United States or abroad: Provided, That such individuals 
     may not be deemed employees of the United States for the 
     purpose of any law administered by the Office of Personnel 
     Management.

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask 
unanimous consent that the reading be dispensed with.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I reserve a point of order on 
the gentlewoman's motion.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. A point of order is reserved.
  Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Florida is recognized 
for 5 minutes in support of her motion.
  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker and Members, this is the final 
amendment to the bill. It will not kill the bill or send it back to 
committee. We don't have time for that. If it is adopted, the bill will 
immediately proceed to final passage, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, America has a public health emergency at its doorstep, 
and it requires a robust and urgent response. Yet the Republican bill 
utterly fails to deal with the emergency posed by the rapidly spreading 
Zika virus, and it leaves our neighbors and our communities at risk.
  So the amendment I am offering today provides the resources requested 
by our public health experts and researchers to combat Zika, the $1.9 
billion to help prevent, detect, and respond to Zika in contrast to the 
paltry $622 million in the Republican bill.
  I would like to thank Mrs. Lowey, Ms. DeLauro, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, 
Ms. Graham, Mr. Ruiz, and everyone. I would like to thank the March of 
Dimes, which is advocating for full funding, the American College of 
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of 
Pediatrics. Why? Microcephaly. Microcephaly is a severe brain 
abnormality that is now linked to the Zika virus, as are other 
anomalies where brain and skull development are affected.
  We are talking about a lifetime of seizures and developmental delays, 
such as problems sitting, standing, walking, seeing, hearing, and 
feeding problems. Currently, there is no vaccine or treatment for the 
Zika infection.
  Brazil has reported the highest incidence of microcephaly, with over 
4,000 suspected cases tied to Zika.
  Microcephaly has also been detected among women who contracted Zika 
in Colombia, Panama, and U.S. territories. In fact, in the U.S. and 
U.S. territories alone, we have 1,200 cases. Thirty-two of these are 
pregnant women, two cases of microcephaly. The Florida Department of 
Health says we have 120 Floridians diagnosed with Zika, including 
pregnant women.
  Because there is no cure for the Zika virus, Congress must act to do 
everything we can to prevent it. We need the diagnostic tests, we need 
the vaccines, we need research, and we need tools for our communities 
back home. We have got to educate our neighbors.
  This Republican bill is woefully inadequate. It puts our neighbors 
back home at risk and could subject us to huge economic risks as well.
  Let's get specific. The GOP's Zika bill provides less than one-third 
of the funds requested by public health experts. I heard the Republican 
appropriators say they intend to do more next year. The mosquitos don't 
know that, do they? The mosquitos are not going to wait until next 
year.
  That is unconscionable. It is unconscionable that such underfunding 
does

[[Page H2803]]

not allow the development of vaccines, the diagnostics, and the 
research in birth defects. The most immediate needs are woefully 
underfunded in the Republican bill.
  The CDC requested $740 million for public health activities like 
mosquito control. The House bill provides $120 million, 84 percent 
below the request. That means the CDC is not going to have adequate 
funding to assist our local communities. The House bill cuts the 
request by the National Institutes of Health for research and 
development of vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics by $132 million, 
or 28 percent.
  The House bill completely neglects immediate needs of American 
citizens in Puerto Rico. The administration asked for $256 million. 
What does the Republican bill provide? Zero. Furthermore, the State 
Department and USAID will only get $119 million.
  Now, if we learned anything from Ebola, it is that addressing the 
health threat overseas can be extremely effective, but you give it 
short shrift here.
  Colleagues, this is a public health emergency, but it is not the only 
one. It is not the first one, and it will not be the last. It requires 
a serious, thoughtful response, one with adequate funding, not a feeble 
attempt to demonstrate you are trying to do something.
  Now, not only will the GOP obstruction likely prove dire to the 
health of our neighbors, but there is going to be a huge economic 
impact as well. Currently, pregnant women and men who hope to have a 
baby are advised by CDC to avoid traveling to Brazil and other areas. 
What if there is a similar traveling advisory for the State of Florida, 
the Texas coast, New Orleans, Charleston, and Mobile, Alabama, all 
communities that rely on the tourism dollar, from small businesses to 
large? So you are asking not only for a public health emergency, but 
for an economic emergency as well.
  Members, this call to action requires actual action. This call to 
action was made months ago. Your answer needs to be equal to our 
challenge. Please pass my amendment so that we can fully fund the Zika 
response. Don't give the short shrift Republican bill a hearing. Vote 
``no'' on the bill vote and ``yes'' on the MTR.
  I yield back the balance of my time.


                             Point of Order

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I insist on my point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of order.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I raise a point of order against 
the motion because the proposed amendment contains an emergency 
designation which constitutes a change to existing law within the 
meaning of clause 2 of rule XXI. Accordingly, it violates the 
longstanding prohibition on legislating on a general appropriations 
measure, and I must insist upon my point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does any other Member wish to be heard on 
the point of order?
  If not, the Chair is prepared to rule.
  The gentleman from Kentucky makes a point of order that the 
instructions in the motion to recommit contain legislation in violation 
of clause 2 of rule XXI.
  The instructions, in pertinent part, designate certain appropriated 
funds as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and 
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
  The Chair has ruled on numerous occasions, as recorded in section 
1052 of the House Rules and Manual, that a proposal to designate an 
appropriation as an ``emergency requirement'' within the meaning of the 
budget-enforcement laws is fundamentally legislative in character.
  On these premises, the Chair holds that the instructions contained in 
the motion to recommit offered by the gentlewoman from Florida, by 
including a proposal to designate an appropriation as an ``emergency 
requirement'' within the meaning of the budget-enforcement laws, 
constitutes legislation in violation of clause 2 of rule XXI.
  The point of order is sustained. The motion is not in order.

                              {time}  2045

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I appeal the ruling of the Chair.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is: Shall the decision of the 
Chair stand as the judgment of the House?


                            Motion to Table

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I move to table the appeal of 
the ruling of the Chair.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to table.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, this 15-
minute vote on the motion to table will be followed by a 5-minute vote 
on passage of the bill, if arising without further proceedings in 
recommittal.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 240, 
nays 183, not voting 10, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 206]

                               YEAS--240

     Abraham
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Amash
     Amodei
     Babin
     Barletta
     Barr
     Barton
     Benishek
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (MI)
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Blum
     Bost
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Brat
     Bridenstine
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Burgess
     Byrne
     Calvert
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (TX)
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Clawson (FL)
     Coffman
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Comstock
     Conaway
     Cook
     Costello (PA)
     Cramer
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Culberson
     Curbelo (FL)
     Davis, Rodney
     Denham
     Dent
     DeSantis
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dold
     Donovan
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Ellmers (NC)
     Emmer (MN)
     Farenthold
     Fincher
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Garrett
     Gibbs
     Gibson
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guinta
     Guthrie
     Hanna
     Hardy
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Heck (NV)
     Hensarling
     Hice, Jody B.
     Hill
     Holding
     Hudson
     Huelskamp
     Huizenga (MI)
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurd (TX)
     Hurt (VA)
     Issa
     Jenkins (KS)
     Jenkins (WV)
     Johnson (OH)
     Jolly
     Jones
     Jordan
     Joyce
     Katko
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kinzinger (IL)
     Kline
     Knight
     Labrador
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Latta
     LoBiondo
     Long
     Loudermilk
     Love
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Lummis
     MacArthur
     Marchant
     Marino
     Massie
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     McSally
     Meadows
     Meehan
     Messer
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Moolenaar
     Mooney (WV)
     Mullin
     Mulvaney
     Murphy (PA)
     Neugebauer
     Newhouse
     Noem
     Nugent
     Nunes
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Palmer
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Perry
     Pittenger
     Pitts
     Poe (TX)
     Poliquin
     Pompeo
     Posey
     Price, Tom
     Ratcliffe
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Ribble
     Rice (SC)
     Rigell
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothfus
     Rouzer
     Royce
     Russell
     Sanford
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Stefanik
     Stewart
     Stivers
     Stutzman
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Tipton
     Trott
     Turner
     Upton
     Valadao
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walker
     Walorski
     Walters, Mimi
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Williams
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Yoho
     Young (AK)
     Young (IA)
     Young (IN)
     Zeldin
     Zinke

                               NAYS--183

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Ashford
     Bass
     Beatty
     Becerra
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Bonamici
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brady (PA)
     Brown (FL)
     Brownley (CA)
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardenas
     Carney
     Carson (IN)
     Cartwright
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu, Judy
     Cicilline
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Courtney
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delaney
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Duckworth
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Esty
     Farr
     Foster
     Frankel (FL)
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Graham
     Grayson
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hahn
     Hastings
     Heck (WA)
     Higgins
     Himes
     Honda
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Israel
     Jackson Lee
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kind
     Kirkpatrick
     Kuster
     Langevin

[[Page H2804]]


     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lawrence
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis
     Lieu, Ted
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan Grisham (NM)
     Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
     Lynch
     Maloney, Carolyn
     Maloney, Sean
     Matsui
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Moore
     Moulton
     Murphy (FL)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Nolan
     Norcross
     O'Rourke
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Peterson
     Pingree
     Pocan
     Polis
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rangel
     Rice (NY)
     Richmond
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schrader
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell (AL)
     Sherman
     Sinema
     Sires
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Speier
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tonko
     Torres
     Tsongas
     Van Hollen
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters, Maxine
     Watson Coleman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--10

     Crowley
     Fattah
     Herrera Beutler
     Hinojosa
     Johnson, Sam
     Reed
     Rooney (FL)
     Salmon
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takai

                              {time}  2105

  Messrs. CRAWFORD, SMITH of Missouri, BARR, ROE of Tennessee, SHIMKUS, 
ROSKAM, and WITTMAN changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So the motion to table was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
  Pursuant to clause 10 of rule XX, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  This is a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 241, 
nays 184, not voting 8, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 207]

                               YEAS--241

     Abraham
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Amodei
     Babin
     Barletta
     Barr
     Barton
     Benishek
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (MI)
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Blum
     Bost
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Brat
     Bridenstine
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Burgess
     Byrne
     Calvert
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (TX)
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Clawson (FL)
     Coffman
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Comstock
     Conaway
     Cook
     Costa
     Costello (PA)
     Cramer
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Culberson
     Davis, Rodney
     Denham
     Dent
     DeSantis
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dold
     Donovan
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Ellmers (NC)
     Emmer (MN)
     Farenthold
     Fincher
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Garamendi
     Garrett
     Gibbs
     Gibson
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guinta
     Guthrie
     Hanna
     Hardy
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Heck (NV)
     Hensarling
     Hice, Jody B.
     Hill
     Holding
     Hudson
     Huelskamp
     Huizenga (MI)
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurd (TX)
     Hurt (VA)
     Issa
     Jenkins (KS)
     Jenkins (WV)
     Johnson (OH)
     Jolly
     Jones
     Jordan
     Joyce
     Katko
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kinzinger (IL)
     Kline
     Knight
     Labrador
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Latta
     LoBiondo
     Long
     Loudermilk
     Love
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Lummis
     MacArthur
     Marchant
     Marino
     Massie
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     McSally
     Meadows
     Meehan
     Messer
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Moolenaar
     Mooney (WV)
     Mullin
     Mulvaney
     Murphy (PA)
     Neugebauer
     Newhouse
     Noem
     Nugent
     Nunes
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Palmer
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Perry
     Pittenger
     Pitts
     Poe (TX)
     Poliquin
     Pompeo
     Posey
     Price, Tom
     Ratcliffe
     Reed
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Ribble
     Rice (SC)
     Rigell
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney (FL)
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothfus
     Rouzer
     Royce
     Russell
     Sanford
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sinema
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Stefanik
     Stewart
     Stivers
     Stutzman
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Tipton
     Trott
     Turner
     Upton
     Valadao
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walker
     Walorski
     Walters, Mimi
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Williams
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Yoho
     Young (AK)
     Young (IA)
     Young (IN)
     Zeldin
     Zinke

                               NAYS--184

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Amash
     Ashford
     Bass
     Beatty
     Becerra
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Bonamici
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brady (PA)
     Brown (FL)
     Brownley (CA)
     Buchanan
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardenas
     Carney
     Carson (IN)
     Cartwright
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu, Judy
     Cicilline
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Courtney
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Curbelo (FL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delaney
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Duckworth
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Esty
     Farr
     Foster
     Frankel (FL)
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Graham
     Grayson
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hahn
     Hastings
     Heck (WA)
     Higgins
     Himes
     Honda
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Israel
     Jackson Lee
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kind
     Kirkpatrick
     Kuster
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lawrence
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis
     Lieu, Ted
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan Grisham (NM)
     Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
     Lynch
     Maloney, Carolyn
     Maloney, Sean
     Matsui
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Moore
     Moulton
     Murphy (FL)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Nolan
     Norcross
     O'Rourke
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Peterson
     Pingree
     Pocan
     Polis
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rangel
     Rice (NY)
     Richmond
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schrader
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell (AL)
     Sherman
     Sires
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Speier
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tonko
     Torres
     Tsongas
     Van Hollen
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters, Maxine
     Watson Coleman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--8

     Crowley
     Fattah
     Herrera Beutler
     Hinojosa
     Johnson, Sam
     Salmon
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takai


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). There are 2 minutes 
remaining.

                              {time}  2113

  So the bill was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________