[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,
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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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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.
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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.
____________________