First my thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have
been affected by this Zika virus both here in the US and across the globe.
On June 28th just before their summer
recess the Republicans wanted to pass a bill that would give the EPA $1.1
Billion to research the Zika virus and attempt to develop a vaccine to try to
have that available before the virus would come to our shores and affect US
citizens who haven’t traveled or had sex with a traveler to the affected
countries in Central America. When the bill came up for a vote which needed 60
to advance, failed 52-48 according to CNN. The reason for this bill not passing
was because of what Democrats called a “poison pill.” What is that poison pill?
The bill has a measure in it that would keep some of the $1.1 billion from
going to Planned Parenthood. So in their logic a bill that would help keep
people alive and prevent babies from being born with microcephaly where the
infants head is smaller than those whose mothers who have not tested positive
for Zika.
Then around July 19th according to NBC News “the Florida
Department of Health announced that it is conducting an investigation into a
possible non-travel related case of Zika virus in Miami-Dade County," as a
result the “CDC has provided Florida more than $2 million in Zika-specific
funding and about $27 million in emergency preparedness funding that can be
used toward Zika response efforts." As a result of the Democrats not
passing the bill to give the proper funding in order to fight this disease now
we have cases that have come to our shores.
Strangely after these initial cases suddenly the Democrates
come to the realization that Zika could potentially be an issue that needs to
be addressed. On July 31st according to the Guardian Senate Minority Leader
Harry Reid has called “for Congress to end its recess and immediately approve
emergency funds for combating the Zika virus in America, after Florida reported
its first cases of mosquito-borne infections on the mainland, and
funding for mosquito nets for pregnant women started running low.”
It seems weird that now democrats would be concerned about helping
fight against the Zika virus now that there are cases in the US. When before
they didn’t want to pass this bill because it didn’t provide funding to planned
parenthood. I guess for those in the Democratic party in the Senate they would
find it easier to murder the babies rather than to prevent them from having
birth defects caused by this virus. My hope is that the Democrats will vote for
this bill to help it pass so those who are effected by the Zika and especially the
babies can get a vaccine developed for the mothers so their babies don’t have
to suffer the effects of this virus. The Republicans must not budge on this
bill and give the Democrats funding to planned parenthood because giving money
to that organization has nothing to do with this bill.
