Being a retired RN, I follow with interest the machinations that are going on in Congress in regard to the Zika virus that is now in the US. Here is an interesting insight from my congressman, Phil Roe, MD.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
WHAT IS GOING ON IN CONGRESS REGARDING THE ZIKA VIRUS FUNDING?
Dear Readers:
Being a retired RN, I follow with interest the machinations that are going on in Congress in regard to the Zika virus that is now in the US. Here is an interesting insight from my congressman, Phil Roe, MD.
Being a retired RN, I follow with interest the machinations that are going on in Congress in regard to the Zika virus that is now in the US. Here is an interesting insight from my congressman, Phil Roe, MD.
Democrats Blocking Zika Bills as the Virus Spreads
Last
week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed
that the first cases of locally-acquired Zika had been diagnosed in
Miami, Florida. Up to this point, patients diagnosed with Zika in the
United States had been infected while traveling, including 23
Tennesseans as of August 1. The cases diagnosed in Florida last week,
however, were acquired locally. This is no longer just a concern to
travelers; the Zika virus has arrived in the United States and we need
to take action. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats continue to play
politics, casting blame on Republicans in Congress for inaction while
failing to acknowledge how they’ve repeatedly blocked commonsense
proposals to prepare for the inevitable spread of Zika.
As
an OBGYN, I am extremely concerned for patients who have been diagnosed
with the Zika virus, especially pregnant women. Pregnant woman with the
virus can pass it along to their unborn child, which can cause serious
birth defects like Microcephaly and other brain defects. Microcephaly is
a condition where a baby’s brain does not fully develop during
pregnancy, thus causing the head to be smaller than average. The
severity of Microcephaly varies; however, babies can experience
seizures, have difficulty feeding, suffer from cognitive disorders,
hearing and vision problems and other developmental delays.
President
Obama has requested Congress provide $1.9 billion to fight Zika, but
what the president failed to make clear is that the administration has
already repurposed nearly $600 million from unused Ebola funds to help
combat the Zika virus. In July, it was reported that only about
one-sixth of that money had actually been spent despite CDC predictions
this virus would make its way to the United States. Additionally, after
Senate Democrats unanimously supported providing $1.1 billion in
funding, they have now twice blocked a funding bill that would provide
that same amount to help fight Zika, further proving President Obama and
Democrats in Congress are more interested in playing politics than
providing the resources necessary to address this serious public health
issue.
Senate
Democrats have also held up attempts to ease the regulatory burden on
mosquito spraying. On May 24, the House passed H.R. 897, the Zika Vector
Control Act. This bill would make it easier for state and local
officials to utilize pesticides to kill mosquitoes and protect against
future mosquito infestations. Currently, federal regulatory barriers
have made the implementation of mosquito control strategies very costly
and time-consuming. This bill will modify the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Clean Water Act to
clarify Congressional intent concerning regulating the use of pesticides
in or near navigable waters. The bill would also continue the practice
of FIFRA regulating the safe use of pesticides to protect Americans and
the environment. This bill targets specific locations in an effort to
prevent Zika and control the mosquito population, but the bill has yet
to be considered in the Senate.
Just last week, the Wall Street Journal
brought attention to the president and Senate Democrats’ strategy on
Zika stating that “the root cause of Washington’s Zika pathology is
Democrats who are exploiting the virus to score political points.” Well,
Mr. President, it’s time to stop playing politics with peoples’ lives.
It’s shameful for President Obama and Democrats in Congress to continue
slow-walking the use of available resources and rejecting commonsense
proposals to provide the tools we need to prepare for and stop the
spread of Zika in the United States. This needs to stop, and I sincerely
hope the president and his allies will decide to put the American
people before their political agendas.
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