Congressional Republicans urged President Obama on Monday to immediately accept GOP legislation that would make it easier to spray pesticides to help fight the Zika virus, after administration officials have said more spraying would help slow its spread.

Republicans from the House and Senate told Obama in a letter that the House-passed bill would lift a permit requirement that delays the spraying of pesticides that kill mosquitoes that carry Zika. They pointed to administration officials who have called for aerial spraying in Puerto Rico, and said lifting the permit requirements would help states and territories fight the virus more quickly.