Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today I wish to speak about the urgent need for Congress to approve emergency funds to fight the Zika virus. The Zika virus is a rapidly growing public health threat, and the stakes for women are particularly high. I strongly believe Congress should approve the full $1.9 billion requested by the administration to fight the virus. Investing the required resources now will mean fewer cases of Zika down the road. The virus is carried by two species of mosquito. They are found in 40 States in this country. These mosquitos have been found in 12 counties in California, including the five most populous: Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino. More than 20 million people live in these counties. There have been 503 travel-related cases in the United States so far, meaning an individual was infected during a trip to Latin America, South America, or the Caribbean, where the virus is widespread. There have not yet been any reported cases of local transmission in the continental United States, although more than 700 cases have been reported in U.S. territories, including one fatality on April 29. It is only a matter of when, not if, we see the first case of local transmission, particularly as we approach the summer, when mosquitos are most active. By July, 7 States are expected to see high mosquito activity. While scientists are still working to understand the effects of the Zika virus, they are more serious than we initially thought.…”