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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Murray helps craft Zika funding worth a ‘Yes’

Despite worries from international travelers and pregnant women about the Zika virus and a prediction that it could materialize in the Southern states this summer, Congress has been plodding along in a bid to address President Barack Obama’s $1.9 billion request to battle this new scourge.

Obama requested Zika funds on Feb. 22, and Congress adjourned for the Easter break without acting. As with just about any issue these days, Republicans and Democrats haven’t been able to reach a deal.

But the Senate on Tuesday did take positive action on emergency funding in a compromise forged by Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Roy Blunt, R-Mo.

The Senate passed an amendment that will be attached to two unrelated must-pass spending bills, according to USA Today. Under this plan, $1.1 billion in funding would be provided for vaccine development, mosquito control and public education.

Meanwhile, the House introduced legislation on Monday to provide $622 million in funding to be paid for by transferring money from Ebola virus accounts. The administration has already siphoned about $600 million from that source. Public health officials say Ebola is under control now, but there could always be another outbreak. The president says the House bill is woefully short of what’s needed, and he has threatened to veto it.

No such threat has been leveled against the bipartisan effort in the Senate, even though it is $800 million less than the administration requested. On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that given all of the delays, “we welcome any sort of forward momentum in Congress.”

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., whose state is expected to be among the first to see homegrown Zika cases, urged colleagues to back his measure to fully fund the president’s request. But his bid was denied.

Sen. Blunt pointed out that the president’s request includes $85 million for building construction at the CDC and another $175 million that could be transferred to any agency, according to USA Today. Those kinds of expenditures can wait. They don’t belong in an emergency spending measure.

The Murray-Blunt agreement seems to be the most sensible; plus it has the most bipartisan support.

Both sides agree the virus is alarming. Pregnant women are of particular concern because the virus has been linked to brain damage in fetuses. Currently, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising pregnant women to avoid travel to 38 countries where the virus is most prevalent. Latin American and Caribbean nations have been particularly hard hit.

Some American doctors already are advising pregnant women to avoid traveling to southern locales this summer. Public health officials are keeping a close watch on cities such as Houston, Miami and Orlando. The CDC reports about 1,200 Zika cases in the United States and its territories, including Puerto Rico. Three cases have been reported in Washington state.

The growing threat from the Zika virus demands a definitive response. The Murray-Blunt agreement looks like the best bet.