Congress wrong to shortchange funding to combat Zika crisis

As the Zika crisis mounts, just days ago Senate Republicans once again put politics above people in continuing to reject President Obama's request for $1.9 billion in emergency federal funding to combat this public health threat. Congress has already wasted a great deal of time with little if any sense of urgency as Zika spreads across the country.

The GOP-controlled House and Senate reject full funding over conflicts in finding spending cuts to avoid increasing the federal debt. But a broad bipartisan contingent of senators, representatives and governors are urging Congress to deal with Zika as a health emergency, not a budget battle. This is the only reasonable and humane approach.

Florida serves as the nation's epicenter of Zika infections with more than 110 cases. Nationwide, more than 500 cases across 45 states have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the figure is bound to grow exponentially as mosquito season arrives, particularly across the hot and humid Southeast.

One leading U.S. health official warned of a local outbreak of the disease in the Southeast soon. Furthermore, Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, where the virus is already rampant with 700 cases, "is on the precipice of a really serious disaster." Since Florida is home to a million people from Puerto Rico, the state will be vulnerable to more travel-related infections than elsewhere.

To date, Zika cases have developed from travel to places where the virus is running rampant, particularly Brazil but across Latin American and the Caribbean as well. The virus, carried by the Aedes aegypti species of mosquito, can also be transmitted via sex with an infected partner. While most adults only show mild symptoms, Zika should be feared by pregnant women. The virus can cause microcephaly, a severe birth defect that leaves newborns with abnormally small heads.

Where once the Zika virus played only a suspected role in the devastating damage to the brains of newborns, last week research scientists unveiled proof of that causal connection. Experiments show the virus penetrates the placental wall and heads directly to the fetus' brain.

While Senate Republicans last week agreed to $1.1 billion in emergency funding -- which is expected to win widespread support this week -- Florida's senators, Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson, and numerous House members, including Vern Buchanan of Longboat Key, are pushing hard for the full $1.9 billion.

Gov. Rick Scott joined this bipartisan alliance by lobbying members of Congress last week, a remarkable about-face for a Republican steadfast in his sharp attacks on the Obama administration.

Like his fellow conservatives, Rubio favors budget offsets but he also took a sensible stance by noting the lack of savings elsewhere was not a deal-breaker.

The $1.9 billion is vital to treating the devastating disease, funding vaccine research and paying for a major increase in mosquito control. Even though the administration transferred $600 million in existing funds to combat ebola, Fauci, Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell and others say that is not enough to wage an immediate and effective response to the outbreak.

This week, Nelson and Rubio plan to introduce an amendment to a military spending bill that would authorize the full $1.9 billion. That measure is expected to reach the Senate floor as soon as this week.

Congress cannot shortchange this battle against a burgeoning health crisis over budget politics.

Gov. Scott emphasized the need for funds for additional mosquito control personnel, Zika "preparedness" kits and other county public health programs.

While Manatee County remains free of Zika cases, the Florida Department of Health Manatee held a community Zika briefing with some 50 local leaders in preparation for mosquito season. Proactive plans have been developed with notifications of the presence of the virus going to all local agencies and municipalities.

Mosquito eradication in a wide radius from the suspected case will be conducted quickly, and yard and property inspections will occur.

Residents are forewarned to play a role in eliminating mosquito-breeding places, any place where water can collect from rain or yard watering. Since tires hide water buildups, they present the toughest target. A communitywide campaign to wipe out breeding grounds is vital to controlling Zika.

As Manatee County prepares to battle Zika, Congress sits poised to under fund a public threat. Our elected leaders should put people first.

This story was originally published May 15, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Congress wrong to shortchange funding to combat Zika crisis ."