This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/29/us/politics/congress-zika-funding.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Senate Democrats Block Zika Bill Over Provisions | Senate Democrats Block Zika Bill Over Provisions |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked a federal spending bill that would provide $1.1 billion to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus, because they said Republicans had loaded the measure with politically charged provisions. | Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked a federal spending bill that would provide $1.1 billion to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus, because they said Republicans had loaded the measure with politically charged provisions. |
| Congressional Democrats, along with the White House, have been demanding since February that Republicans approve $1.9 billion in emergency funds to fight the Zika virus, which can cause microcephaly and other serious defects in infants born to infected mothers. | Congressional Democrats, along with the White House, have been demanding since February that Republicans approve $1.9 billion in emergency funds to fight the Zika virus, which can cause microcephaly and other serious defects in infants born to infected mothers. |
| Democrats have charged that Republicans have inserted unpalatable policy riders into legislation — provisions on abortion, gay rights or guns— that ensure that Democrats would not vote for the measures. Republicans say that Democrats are not willing to address a looming crisis. | Democrats have charged that Republicans have inserted unpalatable policy riders into legislation — provisions on abortion, gay rights or guns— that ensure that Democrats would not vote for the measures. Republicans say that Democrats are not willing to address a looming crisis. |
| The Senate vote represented the latest example of a polarized Congress unable to deal with a pressing national issue, but this time the stakes were a potential national medical emergency. | The Senate vote represented the latest example of a polarized Congress unable to deal with a pressing national issue, but this time the stakes were a potential national medical emergency. |
| The House had approved $622.1 million redirected from other federal programs. The Senate approved $1.1 billion without offsets. In a deal last week, Republican negotiators, working without reaction from Democrats, settled on $1.1 billion, with $750 million in offsets from other spending. | The House had approved $622.1 million redirected from other federal programs. The Senate approved $1.1 billion without offsets. In a deal last week, Republican negotiators, working without reaction from Democrats, settled on $1.1 billion, with $750 million in offsets from other spending. |
| Democrats were enraged, saying the bill was sabotaged by other provisions, including a prohibition on direct federal financing for Planned Parenthood, the women’s health organization, in helping to combat Zika. The disease is also sexually transmitted. | |
| The House approved the negotiated amount last week before going on recess for more than a week for the Fourth of July holiday. | The House approved the negotiated amount last week before going on recess for more than a week for the Fourth of July holiday. |
| Senate Democrats called for renewed negotiations. | Senate Democrats called for renewed negotiations. |
| “If there was ever a bill obviously designed to fail, it was this one,” Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, said in a statement on Monday evening. “Loading up the bill with poison pills was the only way Republican leadership could pass a bill without Democratic support, and it is a cynical strategy.” | “If there was ever a bill obviously designed to fail, it was this one,” Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, said in a statement on Monday evening. “Loading up the bill with poison pills was the only way Republican leadership could pass a bill without Democratic support, and it is a cynical strategy.” |
| But the Senate Republicans said Democrats were now to blame for any further delay in the release of money to fight the Zika virus. | But the Senate Republicans said Democrats were now to blame for any further delay in the release of money to fight the Zika virus. |
| “The Zika virus poses a serious public health threat, and it would be reprehensible for Senate Democrats to block funding that is needed to help keep Americans safe, particularly pregnant mothers and their babies,” Senator Roy Blunt, Republican of Missouri, said in a statement. | “The Zika virus poses a serious public health threat, and it would be reprehensible for Senate Democrats to block funding that is needed to help keep Americans safe, particularly pregnant mothers and their babies,” Senator Roy Blunt, Republican of Missouri, said in a statement. |