White House Blasts Republican Zika Bill As ‘Totally Inadequate,’ Threatens Veto
The upper chamber has promised to kill the legislation anyway, and with only a few working days left before the August recess where both the House and Senate are in Washington, it doesn't look like funding negotiations will be settled soon.
The Associated Press:
Obama Threatens To Veto GOP-Backed Bill On Zika Virus Aid
The White House Thursday promised that President Barack Obama would veto the long-delayed response of the Republican-controlled Congress to the president's request for fighting the Zika virus, saying it provided too little money and contained too many partisan provisions. The $1.1 billion measure had already appeared sure to die in the Senate next at the hands of filibustering Democrats backing Obama's $1.9 billion request and opposing spending cuts that House Republicans added to the measure. (6/23)
The Wall Street Journal:
Gridlock Over Funding Threatens To Stall Obama Plan To Fight Zika Virus
White House principal deputy press secretary Eric Schultz ... called the $1.1 billion deal “totally inadequate,” saying that Republican lawmakers had turned a public health issue into a partisan political exercise. “We urge Republicans to stop turning this into a political football and actually get to work, come up with a proposal that’s going to serve the American people,” Mr. Schultz said. Mr. Schultz ticked through a list of problems with the measure that passed the House, raising objections to what he said was insufficient funding. The bill also would “steal money” from other public-health priorities, he said, cutting unused funds from the Affordable Care Act, funds to fight Ebola and money from the Health and Human Services Department. (Armour and McCain Nelson, 6/23)
The Hill:
White House Threatens Veto Of GOP's Zika Bill
Senate Democrats say the bill is all but doomed in the upper chamber, where it will need support from members of their party to pass. Lawmakers and aides say that would be extremely unlikely after Democratic lawmakers were dropped from the previously bipartisan talks. (Ferris, 6/23)
Stat:
White House Threatens To Veto Zika Bill As Senate Barrels Toward Uncertain Vote
[Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell] chided Democrats for having “phony excuses” to oppose the bill. “Democrats should work with us to pass Zika control funding again, not block funding for combatting this virus,” he said in a Senate floor speech. “Phony excuses and made-up objections to the funding we’ve already passed won’t help create a vaccine or eradicate the threat of Zika.” (Scott, 6/23)
Politico Pro:
Zika Funding Fight Could Drag On For Weeks
The House isn't scheduled to return from recess until July 5. That leaves the House and Senate just a few work days when they’re both scheduled to be in Washington until both chambers depart until Labor Day. (Ehley and Haberkorn, 6/23)