Zika Virus

Floor Speech

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Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, recently I called for a vote on legislation to address the threat of the Zika virus, but nothing was done. Now there are more than 1,000 and rising confirmed cases of Zika in the United States and its territories.

Pregnant women and their children across the country are now more at risk as the summer months and mosquito season approach. It is just a matter of time.

In fact, on Monday the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District confirmed that the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can carry Zika, was detected in my hometown of Coachella.

Madam Speaker, no vote, no funding, means that you are willing to accept that children will be born with microcephaly. Allowing gridlock, hyperpartisanship, and congressional dysfunction to put women and their children at high risk is unacceptable to me and American families.

As an emergency physician, I know that emergency funding now will allow physicians and scientists to better protect the health security of women and their children.

Madam Speaker, let's vote on emergency funding to combat Zika now before it is too late.

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