Republican refusal to approve the Obama administration’s $1.9 billion request to combat the Zika virus is hindering states’ ability to adequately guard against the mosquito-borne virus, a White House spokesman said Friday.
“We often get asked: ‘What is not being done because Congress hasn’t approved those funds?’ That includes everything from hiring more inspectors on the ground — this is something that local governments in Florida have asked for, yet, because Congress won’t act, we’re not able to supply enough funding for that,” deputy press secretary Eric Schultz said.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Friday that four Zika cases in the state likely were transmitted through mosquito bites, the first time in the continental U.S.
Another example Schultz cited is a long-term Zika study that the National Institutes of Health may not be able to complete for a lack of funding.
“That’s unfortunate, and today’s news should be a wake-up call to Congress to get back to work,” Schultz said.
He also praised Scott for his proactive efforts to stop the disease’s spread.
“I will give credit where it’s due,” Schultz said. “Governor Scott has been preparing for this circumstance for quite some time. They’ve had aggressive vector control in place to limit transmission with mosquitoes,” which “they do this with the support of the administration.”
After speaking with Scott last week, Obama directed his team to make sure Florida gets what it needs on the Zika front, Schultz said.
Zika causes a mild illness and only one in five people show symptoms. However, the virus causes a birth defect called microcephaly that causes babies to be born with small heads and causes brain damage. Experts also believe it is linked to a neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre Syndrome that can cause temporary paralysis.
