House and Senate lawmakers began negotiating to bridge a large gap in funding for the Zika virus, with lawmakers expressing a sense of urgency.
“It is imperative that we complete these negotiations quickly,” said Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., during the opening of a conference between lawmakers from both chambers. Rogers, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, didn’t specify a timeline for when negotiations should be wrapped up.
He spoke in the opening meeting of a conference committee. The House passed $622 million in funding taken from other programs and the Senate $1.1 billion in new funding.
Some Democrats on the committee said that both proposal doesn’t go far enough to fight the virus. Rep. Nita Lowey, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the committee should adopt President Obama’s full request of $1.9 billion that he made in February.
The Zika virus, spread primarily via mosquito bites, causes a mild illness in most people but has been found to cause the birth defect microcephaly and may cause other disorders.
The virus so far isn’t spreading via mosquitoes in the continental U.S., but public health agencies warn that could change as the summer climate heats up and mosquitoes thrive.
