On the recordMay 18, 2016
reserving the right to object, our Democratic colleagues won't take yes for an answer. Yesterday the Murray-Blunt language, which now the Democratic leader calls a bandaid, actually obtained cloture, and I expect it will pass tomorrow as part of the underlying appropriations bill. Mr. President, $1.1 billion on top of the $585 million that has already been reprogrammed from the Ebola fund to be used to combat the Zika virus is not a bandaid; it is a serious effort in a nonpartisan way to address a public health challenge. As we can see from the map, Texas is right in the crosshairs. We are ground zero in the United States, along with Florida, Louisiana, and other Southern States where this mosquito is present. Thank goodness no mosquito-borne transmission has occurred yet. But I agree with my colleague from Florida. This is a serious matter, and we need to treat it seriously, but that is not what is happening now. This is a bill that the Senate defeated cloture on yesterday, and this is an attempt to end run that defeat of a vote before the entire Senate. I am compelled to object. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The Democratic leader.
Source
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