Senate to Take Up House Bill on Zika Funding, Barbs and All
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Version 0 of 1. The House is not in session this week, providing lawmakers a timeout after last week’s tumultuous Democratic sit-in. But senators will be in town, and they have a fight of their own coming over a spending package to address the Zika public health threat. The military construction and veterans’ spending bill forced through by House Republicans with no debate early Thursday morning contains $1.1 billion for Zika preparation and prevention — but it also contains some poison-pill provisions that are likely to drive off any Democratic support, notably one restricting the use of the money by Planned Parenthood. Democrats consider that add-on totally unacceptable, noting that the virus can be transmitted sexually. Other provisions also appeared to be added by House and Senate Republicans, who negotiated the measure on their own, to essentially dare Democrats to oppose the overdue Zika money. But Democrats have indicated they will not provide the support to overcome a 60-vote procedural hurdle. President Obama would most likely veto the measure if it got to his desk. Republicans, after taking months to advance the funding for the mosquito-borne disease, will no doubt argue that it is now Democrats who are blocking the funds. But the Republican record on the response is pretty clear, so that argument will be a tough sell. To irritate Democrats even more, Republicans quietly stripped from the underlying bill a House-passed provision banning the display of Confederate flags at national military cemeteries. That Democratic proposal was initially approved in a bipartisan House vote. Ah, Congress. |