White House May Veto Zika Funding Bill

The Obama Administration has been pressuring Congress for funding to combat the Zika virus since the beginning of this year, but sources now say that the White House is planning on vetoing a version of the bill that is currently making it’s way through the House and Senate.

The bill, which passed the House on Wednesday, would commit $1.1 billion to studying and fighting the virus. The Senate is planning on putting the bill up for a vote next week or after the July 4th, recess at the latest. The White House originally asked for $1.9 billion and says that the bill is unacceptable because  some of its riders would damage Planned Parenthood. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest says that the Republican Party is not taking the Zika threat seriously enough.

“It is clear that once again, Republicans have put political games ahead of the health and safety of the American people, particularly pregnant women and their babies. This plan from Congressional Republicans is four months late and nearly a billion dollars short of what our public health experts have said is necessary to do everything possible to fight the Zika virus and steals funding from other health priorities. The fact that the Republican plan limits needed birth control services for women in the United States and Puerto Rico as we seek to stop the spread of a sexually transmitted disease is a clear indication they don’t take seriously the threat from the Zika virus or their responsibility to protect Americans”

The funding’s source is another area of contention. The White House wanted new money, but this bill takes money from several different public health programs. Speaker Paul Ryan has defended the bill saying “It is a responsible plan that assures the administration will continue to have the needed resources to protect the public.” Despite Ryan’s reassurances, White House spokesman, Eric Schultz, says the President is planning on vetoing the bill. ” This is a bill that would steal money from other critically important public health priorities” Schultz says. We urge Republicans to stop turning this into a political football, and to actually get to work to come up with proposals that will serve the American people.”

We’ll continue to cover this story as it develops.