DeLauro Statement on Speaker Ryan’s Comments on Zika
WASHINGTON, DC (March 23, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding Speaker Ryan's latest comments on the Zika virus.
"Speaker Ryan's comments that emergency aid to fight the ZIka virus should come from money set aside to fight Ebola are shameful. While the number of Ebola outbreaks has subsided, it still remains a major health threat to Africa and the global community. The money appropriated for the CDC to fight Ebola is meant to be spent over the next five years to build public health infrastructure and detect, prevent, and respond to future outbreaks. We cannot abandon this fight simply because the threat appears to be diminished.
"Congress must pass an emergency supplemental appropriations bill and help the CDC prepare for and respond to the Zika virus. Republicans need to put people above principle and give the CDC the resources needed to address Zika. There is absolutely no reason why we should limit ourselves to fighting one dangerous outbreak at a time."
The Zika virus is a major threat to the health of Americans:
- Summer is rapidly approaching, which will result in more mosquitoes spreading the disease further across the U.S.
- The Zika virus is already a full-fledged crisis in Puerto Rico, where the CDC estimates a quarter of the island's 3.5 million people will likely contract it within a year
- Thousands of Americans are planning to travel to Brazil for the Olympics, elevating the possibility of contracting the disease and bringing it back to the U.S.
- The Zika virus threatens the nation's blood supply. Recently, HHS began shipping much-needed blood products to Puerto Rico, where the Zika virus is already wide-spread.
- Pregnant women across the U.S. are at risk of contracting the disease, which may result in birth defects, including microcephaly
DeLauro is the senior Democrat on the subcommittee responsible for funding the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.
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