[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9490]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               ZIKA VIRUS

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I am on the floor to focus on some very 
frightening news we got late last week about the Zika virus, news that 
shows just how important it is that we get emergency funding to the 
President's desk right away.
  Last week, three babies were born in the United States with birth 
defects linked to Zika. Three other pregnancies didn't make it to term 
as a result of this virus. As a mother and grandmother, my heart goes 
out to these families, and as a U.S. Senator, I am extremely frustrated 
that 4 months since President Obama first asked for a strong emergency 
funding package to respond to this frightening virus, Congress still 
has not sent anything to the President's desk because, unfortunately, 
the longer we wait to act, the more those numbers are going to grow.
  In fact, Tom Frieden, Director of the CDC, has said in Puerto Rico 
alone, hundreds of babies could be born with birth defects related to 
Zika. There are already nearly 2,200 reported cases of Zika in the 
United States and the territories, and more than 400 expecting mothers 
are being monitored for possible infection.
  Without question, this is a public health emergency. What makes it 
all the more frustrating is we have an agreement that could go to the 
President to be signed into law right away. While it shouldn't have 
taken so long, Senate Republicans did finally agree to work with us on 
a downpayment on the President's emergency funding proposal.
  The agreement we have reached would give communities more resources 
for vector control. It would help accelerate development of a vaccine 
and, critically, provide much needed preventive health care, including 
family planning services, such as contraception, to families who ask 
for it.
  This package has support from both sides of the aisle. All Senate 
Democrats and nearly half of Senate Republicans voted for it. It has 
now been a full month since that agreement passed in the Senate. 
Unfortunately, instead of acting on it, House Republicans chose to move 
to conference with their own underfunded, irresponsible proposal that 
offers just one-third of what is needed to combat this virus and drains 
much needed resources from the ongoing Ebola response effort.
  With the health and well-being of women and babies on the line, now 
is not the time for nickel-and-diming. It is not the time for debates 
about taking from one health care priority to support another. This is 
the time to act because every infection prevented is a potential 
tragedy prevented, and there is no good reason why we cannot get a 
strong emergency funding proposal to the President's desk this week.
  Families are looking to Congress for action on Zika. It is well past 
time that we delivered, and I hope we can get this done without any 
further delay.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 
a few moments before the gavel comes down at 12:30 p.m.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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