Amid word that the U.S. Senate may be nearing a solution on funding to combat Zika, Hawaii’s senators are demanding action.
Earlier this week, Democrat Mazie Hirono and Patty Murray (D-WA) called on Senate Republicans “to stop stalling critical federal funding” to fight the Zika virus, according to her office.
President Obama made an emergency funding request to Congress in February.

“It’s been nearly four months since the Senate overwhelmingly passed a compromise measure that would fund the fight against Zika,” Hirono said in a press release. “Since then, it has become clear that Congressional Republicans would rather limit access to family planning services — which puts millions more women at risk of contracting Zika and giving birth to a child with microcephaly — than ensure that we are fully prepared to combat this disease.”
On Friday, Democrat Brian Schatz and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) sent a letter signed by 27 Senate colleagues (including Hirono) to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) “urging him to bring the $1.1 billion Zika funding legislation passed by the Senate to the House floor for a vote.”
According to Schatz’s office, there are now more than 18,000 cases of Zika in the United States and its territories.
“Zika is now well established in the United States with cases of local transmission by mosquitoes being reported in multiple areas of Florida, as well as the U.S. territories,” the senators wrote. “While babies die, pregnant women and communities suffer, adults worry about future long-term neurological risks from Zika, and U.S. service members and military bases are affected, Congress remains deadlocked in partisan politics. Now is the time to lead and to show the American people that Congress will act to protect them.”
There are more than 18000 cases of Zika in the US & $0 funding from Congress. @SpeakerRyan, give Zika funding a vote https://t.co/tor8R5j0nD
— Senator Brian Schatz (@SenBrianSchatz) September 9, 2016
GET IN-DEPTH
REPORTING ON HAWAII’S BIGGEST ISSUES
Help power essential news and information
As a local newsroom, Civil Beat has a unique public service role in times of need. Your support ensures that we can pivot when emergencies arise and get vital information out to everyone, from all communities.
Support timely and accurate breaking news stories as well as impactful coverage across the state. Donate today.
About the Author
-
Chad Blair is the politics editor for Civil Beat. You can reach him by email at cblair@civilbeat.org or follow him on X at @chadblairCB.