Sen. Marco Rubio is urging Congress to include emergency Zika funding in any agreement to fund the government past September.
Rubio and other Florida Republicans have been pressing congressional leaders to overcome the gridlock and provide extra funds to fight the Zika virus, which has infected more than 2,500 people in the U.S. and is spreading locally in several regions of Florida.
“Congress should be prepared to pass a Zika funding measure as part of whatever spending bill ultimately passes to fund the government beyond September 30,” Rubio said in a release Friday morning.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to bring a Zika funding bill to the floor when lawmakers return to Washington on Tuesday, but Democrats have said they’ll continue blocking it. Democrats have filibustered the $1.1 billion Zika bill over objections to how it’s paid for and for not providing funds to Planned Parenthood clinics in Puerto Rico.
Zika, which causes serious birth defects, has continued spreading around the U.S. during Congress’ summer recess, especially in Florida, where mosquitos are transmitting it locally.
The Zika fight is expected to be rolled into a larger fight over funding the government, as the current funding bill runs out at the end of September.
