[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 135 (Thursday, September 8, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H5177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         DEMAND ACTION ON ZIKA

  (Mr. ALLEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, with summer coming to an end and a new school 
year underway, the threat of Zika still lingers on, a threat we in the 
House took up months ago.
  The House passed legislation back in June ensuring the administration 
would continue to have resources in place to protect the public from 
the threat of Zika. This legislation came with tight restrictions to 
ensure the funds are spent appropriately. Despite this and after 
already agreeing to the proposed funding levels, Senate Democrats have 
repeatedly blocked this much-needed funding. Tuesday night, Harry Reid 
and Senate Democrats, again, voted to block this legislation--leaving 
the public's health in limbo.
  This is unacceptable. Before the district work period, I joined my 
colleagues in the Georgia delegation, along with our Senators, Isakson 
and Perdue, in a letter to the President demanding that we put aside 
politics and urge immediate passage of Zika funding.
  With newly reported Zika cases in our country daily, we should be 
focusing on protecting Americans from this virus and not petty 
politics.
  I am so thankful that our 12th grandchild, Robin Hampton Wills, born 
Monday, January 12, did not have to face this threat. That is why I 
urge Senate Democrats to give up partisan politics and move this 
legislation forward so that families do not have to face the threat of 
this terrible virus.

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