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U.S. News
May 20, 2016 / 6:19 PM

Obama rejects Zika cash proposals from Congress, asks for full $1.9B he requested

By
Doug G. Ware
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks to the press after a briefing on the ongoing response to the Zika virus in the Oval Office of the White House, Washington, D.C., on Friday. Obama urged Congress to give the full $1.9 billion funding that the administration requested. Also present were Sec. Shaun Donovan, Deputy Homeland Security Advisor OMB Amy Pope, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Tom Frieden, and Director of NIH/NIAID Dr. Anthony Fauci. Pool photo by Aude Guerrucci/UPI | License Photo
U.S. President Barack Obama urged Congress Friday to pass the full $1.9 billion funding that the administration requested to fight the Zika virus. At left is Vice President Joe Biden. Pool photo by Aude Guerrucci/UPI | License Photo
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks to the press after a briefing on the ongoing response to the Zika virus in the Oval Office of the White House on Friday. Pool photo by Aude Guerrucci/UPI | License Photo
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks to the press after a briefing on the ongoing response to the Zika virus in the Oval Office of the White Houseon Friday. Pool photo by Aude Guerrucci/UPI | License Photo

WASHINGTON, May 20 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama isn't satisfied with the money proposals offered by Congress this week to fight the spread of the Zika epidemic, asking lawmakers Friday to give him the full amount he requested -- $1.9 billion.

Obama made the remarks in the Oval Office of the White House after the Senate approved $1.1 billion for the fight and the House $622 million. Both proposals are pretty far short of the nearly $2 billion the president requested a week ago.

Friday, after speaking with Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, CDC Director Thomas Frieden and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Tony Fauci, Obama provided an update of the situation.

"What we've seen is a little over 500 cases of Zika in the continental United States, and they all appear to be travel related," Obama said. "A more significant, immediate concern is Puerto Rico, where we know that there are over 800 cases that have been diagnosed."

RELATED Cases of pregnant U.S. women with Zika triple under new counting method

"We've got a plan over the next several months to begin developing a vaccine and to continually improve our diagnostic tests," he continued. "All of this work costs money. And we have put forward a package that costs $1.9 billion in emergency funding ... And we didn't just choose the $1.9 billion from the top of our heads. This was based on public health assessments of all the work that needs to be done."

Obama acknowledged the money proposed by both houses of Congress, but said it's not good enough -- particularly the House version, which takes much of the $622 million from other government programs, including one to fight Ebola.

"All that the House has done is said, 'you can rob Peter to pay Paul,'" Obama said. "The notion that we would stop monitoring as effectively and dealing with Ebola in order to deal with Zika doesn't make a lot of sense."

RELATED Zika destroys fetal brain cells, lab study finds

Federal health agencies have said they are desperate for emergency funding to fight Zika, which can cause birth defects and microcephaly -- a condition that stunts development of a fetus' head.

"We've got to get moving," Obama said. "Bottom line is, Congress needs to get me a bill."

RELATED Bacteria experiment may point way to slow Zika's spread
  • Topics
  • Barack Obama
  • Thomas Frieden
  • Oval Office
  • Ebola Virus
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