[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3429-3430]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               ZIKA VIRUS

  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I wish to take this opportunity to talk 
about an issue that is both concerning and tragic; that is, the rapid 
spread of the Zika virus in Central and South America in recent months. 
This is a virus we have known about ever since I was born, and that has 
been about 69 years. I think the first time somebody detected this was 
maybe on an island in the South Pacific. It has ebbed and

[[Page 3430]]

flowed over the years, and now it is flowing big time.
  Every day researchers are discovering more about this virus and its 
potential impact, particularly on pregnant women and their unborn 
children. The findings are not good. In fact, they are deeply 
troubling. There are strong indications that the virus is connected to 
a developmental birth defect that can lead to underdeveloped brains. We 
have seen the photographs of smaller heads in too many children.
  Additional studies are also examining a potential connection between 
the Zika virus and other health concerns. With the World Health 
Organization estimating that as many as 4 million people could be 
infected in the region this year, it is clear that we must act swiftly 
to combat this threat. That is why I was pleased to see President Obama 
and his administration take an early and proactive role in addressing 
the Zika virus. For example, a coordinated Federal response led by the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with State, 
local, and international public health partners to step up mosquito 
control efforts and to ensure that health officials have the equipment 
they need to test people for this disease.
  To further these efforts, President Obama has recently submitted a 
supplemental funding request to Congress. These funds would go toward 
developing vaccines, mosquito control efforts, and diagnostic testing, 
among other things. The Senate should take a long, hard look at the 
President's request in the coming days and weeks and consider what 
measures we need to take to ensure we are ready for Zika and for other 
future outbreaks.

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