WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined 21 Senate Democrats in urging the Departments of State and Defense to continue taking measures to protect American servicemembers, civilians, and their families serving and living abroad from the growing threat of Zika. In a letter to Secretaries John Kerry and Ashton Carter, the senators expressed concern over a recent Pentagon report revealing that as of May 20th, 11 servicemembers, 4 dependents, and 2 retirees had contracted the virus since January. The senators also requested additional information on steps each department is taking to protect Americans in the face of congressional Republicans’ slow and deficient response to President Obama’s request for $1.9 billion in emergency funds.
“We commend the steps that your Departments have taken already to gain a better understanding of the threat the Zika virus poses to civilians and servicemembers and their families while serving abroad, as well as to educate our citizens living abroad,” the senators wrote. “As we continue to push for quick action to send a strong emergency funding proposal to the President’s desk to tackle this virus, we would appreciate greater detail on how your Departments are working to protect servicemembers and civilians living in Zika-affected areas, specifically women and children, and how additional funding from Congress will assist your Departments, both indirectly and directly, in these efforts.
Co-signers include Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), John Tester (D-MT), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
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The Senate voted last month to advance a compromise bill providing $1.1 billion in emergency funding—$800 million short of the funding level requested by the CDC and NIH to combat the spread of Zika. Senate Democrats continue to call on Republican leaders to act now to send an adequate emergency spending package to the President’s desk.
