Weekly Address: Taking Action Against the Zika Virus

[cal04]

Source: White House

This week, President Obama called on Republicans in Congress to take action and vote to fund the Administration’s response to the Zika virus. In February, the President asked Congress to fund emergency resources, including mosquito control, fast-tracking diagnostics tests and vaccines, tracking the spread of the virus, and monitoring women and babies with Zika.

Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress have failed to take action on this issue. So the President continues to direct his Administration do what it can without help from Congress, with the primary focus of protecting pregnant women and families planning to have children. Today, the CDC continues to work with state public health officials and has an emergency response team on the ground in South Florida, agencies have moved to expedite the development of a vaccine, and the administration is working with the private sector to develop more options to test and prevent infection.

The President reiterated this is about more than politics and Republicans should make this their top priority when they return from their summer recess.

Read more: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/08/27/weekly-address-taking-action-against-zika-virus

[greymattermom]

2. It would be ironic if Zika mosquitos

were found at Mar-a-lago.

[MBS]

3. Charles Pierce has called the Republican M.O. "Institutional vandalism"

Charley Pierce is right.
Republican congressional obstruction of judicial appointments, climate change legislation, voting rights protection, and everything else is already borderline treason.
But blocking urgent funding for the Zika problem doesn't even make any sense.
What are the Republicans thinking? that Zika virus only infects Democrats?

Thank you, President Obama, for working to make something happen despite Republican childishness and stupidity.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. K&R

And as a note, I heard on the radio yesterday that FDA is now going to require that blood collection facilities screen for Zika. The Republicans need to seriously put this on the agenda as alot of them are from areas that could be most hard-hit.

As always, thanks for posting!!!

[Bearware]

5. I suspect this will be the October surprise for the Repubs up for reelection.

Zika will probably spread enough to be front page news every week by the end of October.

If the Dems just keep pushing the blame for Zika out there they will take the Senate and may push the house to the edge too.

Nothing wrong with a firestorm in the state houses either.

[lark]

6. You'd think, with their pre-born love, prevention efforts for Zika would be a natural fit.

But not, that would mean doing something sane and humane, so of course traitorous repugs won't do it. They'd rather have babies die than fund something that helps non-rich folks without stabbing the working class in the back by defunding ACA. Are these assholes even pretending to be human anymore? !00% selfish and evil incarnate is what McTurtle and his cohorts are. Rick Scott is the same, cutting funding for mosquito control when we knew Zika was coming, then wanting the feds to cover the cost that he used for tax cuts for the rich instead of taking care of the people of this state that aren't billionaires. I truly hate them and him.