A Republican senator said it will be the Democrats’ fault if the Zika virus spreads in the U.S. this summer, since they twice rejected legislation to fund prevention efforts.
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said blocking the bill again, “months after saying it was so urgent,” is tantamount to “tying the hands” of those working to prevent outbreaks of the disease that has been linked to significant birth defects. “So the responsibility will be with them for refusing to act in light of the clarion call by public health officials that this is a real public health emergency.”
The $1.1 billion spending bill died on Thursday after a 52-48 procedural vote, eight short of the necessary 60 needed to set up a final vote. Senate Democrats opposed the legislation because it denied birth control funding to Planned Parenthood, weakened clean water laws, and blocked bans on Confederate flag displays at military ceremonies.
Pointing to a picture of a microcephalic baby while on the Senate floor, Cornyn said it is “profoundly irresponsible” for Democrats to block the bill, and said, “I don’t know how some of our colleagues can sleep at night knowing they are putting these babies and their families at risk.”
He described their opposition as “disgusting” and “the very definition of dysfunction,” and said, “this is nothing to play around with, this not a trivial matter, this is a life-altering, a life shortening, devastating birth defect that is preventable.”
