WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee – issued the following statement after voting in favor of the conference report on the MilCon-VA/Zika Appropriations Act (H.R. 2577):

“The Senate once again failed to come together to support critical legislation that would have provided our nation’s experts with the resources they need to combat the Zika virus. Because this bill also includes provisions to support veterans and prioritize critical military construction projects in Kansas, its failure to pass will unfortunately result in reduced readiness for our military and greater challenges when meeting the needs of veterans.”

Background

• The $1.1 billion in funding provided by this legislation to battle Zika would fund immediate Zika-related needs.
• CDC Director Frieden acknowledges it is sufficient to respond to the crisis.
• The $1.1 billion funding level was agreed to in May, with every U.S. Senator voting in favor.
• The legislation includes record levels of funding to improve access to quality care for veterans.

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