Schatz Statement on Zika Funding Deal

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) issued the following statement after an agreement was made to include a $1.1 billion funding package for Zika research and protection in the latest funding resolution.

“We appear to have a deal on Zika that will help us to address this dangerous disease. This is especially important for Hawai‘i because we have two of the mosquitoes that carry the virus,” said Senator Schatz. “This disease is now well established in the United States with thousands of cases reported in Florida and the U.S. territories. Our critical public health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are in desperate need of funding to combat Zika.  It’s time we finally move forward with providing the CDC with the resources it needs.”

Senator Schatz has been a leading voice on the need to pass Zika funding.  Earlier this month, Sens. Schatz and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) sent a letter signed by 27 Senate colleagues to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) urging him to bring the Senate-passed bipartisan Zika funding bill up for a vote in the House.