[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6465]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               ZIKA VIRUS

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to discuss 
Congress's efforts to combat the Zika virus. Combating Zika is a public 
health priority, and it is important that this not be turned into a 
political issue. The administration and Congress need to work together 
to combat the virus by funding necessary programs, such as mosquito 
eradication efforts, before the threat escalates further. Congress has 
already acted to provide incentives for manufacturers to develop new 
medicines to prevent or to treat Zika. We have also approved the use of 
nearly $600 million to initiate a Zika response effort, including 
research into vaccines and treatments and improving mosquito control, 
because the best way to deal with any illness is to stop people from 
getting sick in the first place. We need to make controlling mosquitos 
a priority.
  I introduced a measure to remove burdensome permitting restrictions 
on mosquito control efforts so we can immediately free up additional 
resources to keep the mosquito population in check. A vaccine to 
prevent the Zika virus isn't likely to be available until next year, at 
the earliest, which means our primary weapon in combating Zika right 
now is controlling mosquitoes so people don't get infected. For that 
reason, we need to prioritize mosquito control programs and provide 
immediate regulatory relief.
  Aggressive mosquito abatement is the most timely step we can take to 
keep women and children safe. I am pleased my approach was included in 
the Cornyn amendment the Senate considered yesterday. I only wish it 
had prevailed. I am hopeful we can still work with both sides of the 
aisle to get timely regulatory relief for all impacted industries in 
the final Zika response package. I believe it is important that if we 
are going to beat this thing, we do it by eradicating mosquitoes and 
making it possible for those who are responsible and tasked with that 
responsibility to be able to do that.

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