U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) on Wednesday urged President Obama to use unspent funds from other programs to combat the emerging threat of Zika virus in the United States.
Rubio sent a letter to the president, citing specific examples of unused funds that could be reallocated in an expedited manner.
“Whether it was the administration’s $1.9 billion request, bipartisan Senate proposals or the House-Senate compromise, I have supported every single congressional effort to deal with Zika,” Rubio said. “It is unfortunate that Congress has failed to pass any kind of legislation this summer to deal with the Zika virus. However, it is also deeply concerning that, according to figures provided by the Office of Management and Budget, most of the money reprogrammed by the Administration for the fight against Zika remains unspent. Recent reports have indicated that as much as $384 million remains unobligated.”
A proposed funding bill was met with partisan pushback in Congress just before the representatives went on recess.
“After multiple discussions with representatives from state health departments, local health departments, county government officials, infectious disease experts, and health officers from Puerto Rico, I understand the need to address this public health threat immediately and head on,” Rubio said.
The president has yet to issue a formal response. Neither the House or the Senate will be in session again until after Labor Day in September.